Separate Ways
by bonesweet21
Summary: Bones decide to leave DC to take a expedition on Egypt without realizing the consequence. What will happen when she return and found that everything had change, and the person she missed the most was not alone and had build walls around him against her.
1. Chapter 1

Hi. This a story i had been working for a few weeks now. I hope you enjoy it. Is a little different from the other two, but i like this. Hope you like it too. Thanks to Monisse for your help and your ideas. An to all of you, please let mw know if you like the story. ;-)

**Chapter #1:**

Brennan waited impatiently to an unscheduled meeting set by Goodman the day before. She was sure that the meeting had to be about how slow the limbo identification process was becoming during the last months, but her thoughts were far away for the real object of the meeting. "Dr. Brennan, I have received an investigation authorization to send an anthropologist to Cairo in Egypt." "Sir, is this investigation about the discovery of the new pharaonic tombs?"

"Yes, Dr. Brennan. I was going to offer the expedition to you. You can go yourself or you can send Dr. Addy instead." He said in his deep voice. "So, it's my call."

"Yes, you have to decide. If you want to go, that will be great for your career. Also, you must understand that the sabbatical leave is for near 14 months." "I'll take it sir. This will be great." "Dr. Brennan, are you confident with your decision?"

"Of curse I am."

"All right, I was just asking because there's a hallway rumor about you and Agent Booth."

"What?" She asked surprised and her eyes widened. "Nothing, I just hear that you're in a relationship."

"Oh that, well it's true." "But you don't want to consult him in this kind of decision?"

"I don't think so. We are just dating at the moment, so I don't see the problem. Besides, I don't have to consult every decision that I will make with him." "So, you are going."

"Yes, sir." "Well Dr. Brennan, you will be leaving the day after tomorrow. This will give you a little time to instruct Dr. Addy in your current cases, so you can leave."

"Thank you." As soon as Brennan exited the office, Dr. Goodman called Director Cullen to inform him of the change of personnel assigned to the FBI.

Cullen knew the new that this change wouldn't be good for his agent. After ending the call, Cullen called Booth into his office, and now Booth sat in front of his boss. "Seeley, I…."

"Sir, is everything all right?" Booth asked nerviously at his boss.

"Why you ask?" Cullen put hand over the file in front of him and looked seriously at the agent.

"You never call me Seeley, you only use my first name when you have something important or personal to say." Cullen laughed

"You are really good at reading people Booth, you really are." "So, what is it?"

"I have received a call a few minutes ago from Dr. Goodman…"

"Did something happen?" Cullen smiled as he saw the nervous and the preoccupation on his agent.

"Everything is fine, but he wanted to make official a change in the personnel assigned to the FBI." Cullen saw the blank expression of his agent.

"Did I do something wrong sir?" Booth's voice sounded like a whisper and Cullen could hear a slightly guilty tone on it.

"No Booth, you didn't. It is just that Dr. Brennan has to leave in two days to an expedition in another country, so she won't be available for a while." Booth's jaw fell after hearing the words.

He lifted his eyes and saw his boss looking at him. "For how long?"

"Apparently for more than a year. You will be working with Dr. Addy from now on." Booth remained in silence and Cullen could just imagine the agent's thoughts.

"Sir, may I ask you something?"

"What is it, Booth?"

"I will need a new partner, sir." Booth said in a low sad tone. He had acustom him toward her presence.

"But you used to get the Dr. Brennan to the field."

"Yes sir, but Zack… well, Zack is Zack sir, he really don't do very well outside the lab."

"All right Booth, I will assign you a new partner. But I want you to think about our past talks; maybe all this is a sign Seleey." Booth nodded and left the office.

Cullen remained in silence and watched the door that recently closed. _Oh Booth, I just hope that all this does not break your heart, son._ It was the last thought of him before he picked the phone and to make some calls.

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The morning previously to her departure, Booth tried, unsuccessfully, to talk to her about his feelings once more and imagined that this could change her mind. He was seriously mad that she was leaving. They had discussion last night, in her apartment, when she told him and learned that he already knew. After some yells from him and logical explanations from her, he left. Now, the bickering continued between the two of them, in her office, when he lost his temper with her. Brennan was glad that the rest of the team went to the Diner for lunch.

"I love you temperance, I do since the first day. But I'm tired of waiting for you. Now, when we were going to try and establish a meaningful relationship you go for more than a year to Egypt. What am I suppose to do in this time?" Booth sat on the couch of her office and hide his frustrated face on his hands.

"Booth, this is my job. This is what I do. I love to see the world, to experiment new things. I'm really flattered that you love me, but I don't want you to spend the rest of your life waiting for me; I'm not sure of what you want me to tell you, besides we just started dating." She said without loking at him.

"You already did Temperance, you already did. I hope the mummies can love you half the way that I did." He sus up from the couch and stop in front of her.

"Booth, this is not about _love._ This is about doing my job!" Booth led out a frustrated sight and she looked into his eyes.

"So, all this is about your job. If that's the way you feel about it, I get it." powerlessness filled his voice as he realized that this was the end.

"I didn't mean to sound like that." Brennan let her body sit on the desk chair while her hands search on the upper drawer of her desk. She can't take the sadness on his eyes.

Booth tone was resign. "Bones, I love you, and you know it, but I'm tired of waiting for you. I can live my life accepting all your ideas about kids, religion and marriage, but I can't live waiting for you anymore. I have waited for too long."

"I never asked you to do that." A low voice enamate from her lips.

"Yes, that was my mistake, but no more." Boot replied trying to hide the inmense pain on his heart.

"Booth… you can wait for me. A year passes quickly."

"Let's see, I have turned down several promotions just to be with you, to help you, to teach you that life exists out of the walls of this lab, that life is more than work and now you tell me that I must wait for a year, because you can't turn down an expedition to Egypt?" Booth finally let out all the silent things he had left pass during the past years as frustration and anger rise again in him.

"This is a lifetime opportunity for me. Why don't you understand that?"

"Oh, I see, I should have known that this was going to be a mistake. I wish I had never crossed the line."

"Booth, don't say that! Don't say it. This was not a mistake."

"Are you sure? Because your actions right now are saying another thing."

"You need to understand, this is my job."

"Let's say that I understand you, so who understands me?"

"Booth, I…"

"It's ok, by now I'm comfortable in being lonely. I'm used to the idea that I will be alone for the rest of my life."

After a few minutes of silence he spoke up again.  
"So, this is goodbye then, have a nice trip, Dr. Brennan."

"You are not going to take me to the airport?"

"For what? So you can spill in my face that I'm no good enough to retain here with me? That I'm nothing in your life? That a group of old bones are more interesting than stay with me? No thanks, Dr. Brennan, I think that my heart won't handle this situation anymore. Have a nice journey. Enjoy yourself and the bones." Without looking back, Booth headed his footsteps outside the Jeffersonian, he nearly crashed with Jack and Angela who were, now, in the parking lot. He had thought about this for the last two days, and was hopping that his love for her was enough, but now, he was completely sure that his love was not enough for the two of them. _She does not love me._ After he left, she wondered what she had done to make him ran out her office in the way he did. She was picking her things when Angela got into her office.

"Sweetie, what have you done?"

"Nothing Angela, I was just picking up my things to leave."

"I'm not talking about that sweetie; I'm talking about what you did to Booth."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw him a few minutes ago, literary running to his SUV. He was mad and sad. He was yelling to someone in the phone. So, I must think that something happen here." Brennan thought of telling her best friend about the conversation with him, but in the last moment she decided not to.

"He just came to say goodbye to me. That's all."

Angela knew that something happened between them, but she didn't want to push her friend further, feeling sad for her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter #2:

Booth held his hand over his head. His migraine had his head in a breaking point. He had taken 4 pills at once, but still his head was killing him. His phone had been ringing since he left the lab. He didn't want to talk to her. It was her decision and he was going to accept it. He thought that she might regret it later, in fact, he was sure of it. But as always, she was thought in herself only. Booth had talked to Cullen during the past week. Cullen had offered various promotions, in the past, and he always passed it to others. But the last conversation with Cullen made him think about the course that his life was taking.

"_Booth, you know that for me, you are more than an agent, you are like my son. But I really am worried about you. You are quite an agent. Your record is excellent, and I really think that if you want, you could be in a high position by now."_

"Sir, I now that but I like doing field work."

"You love it, because you are with her. But you have to think about you sometimes. You need a change in your career. You can be a great boss, but you have to give yourself the opportunity to do other things. I know that you want to change what you did in your past, but sometimes it's better to let the past in there. You have a son Booth, think of him."

That conversation had moved some of Booth's mind foundations. He knew that all the things his boss had said were true, but how could he manage the fact that other agent would be working with her. Then, reality attacked him. He was in love with a wonderful woman that did not love him back, at least did not have the intention to establish a personal relationship with anyone. Maybe the fact that hurt him the most was that she once took the chance to have something with Sully. Booth knew that all of what had happened was because of his line, but he wanted to try it. After 4 years, he wanted to live, not just be there, but live, love and be loved by her. That night he didn't slept at all. He sat in front of the TV, which was turned off, just thinking about the future of his job and the direction his life had taken. The fact that she was leaving him without thinking in the pain that she was causing him add more grieve to his heart. He saw the clock in the wall and picked up his keys in a hurry. He had to try to reason with her, at least one last time.

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Brennan stood at the gate of the airport. She had tried to talk with him, again, during her trip to the airport, but all the phone calls ended in the voice mail. She hoped that he would understand, but in the end she was wrong. She sighed and gave the attendance the tickets. Brennan didn't saw the man standing, looking at her 20 feet's from her. He had been at the airport looking for her all that time and when he saw her crossing the gate without looking back, his heart broke in two.

"_I will not stop you this time, Bones. You are right, it's your job. I only wish you all the joy and love you deserve. I really do. But when you came back, I won't be here waiting for you. You made your decision, I made mine._" He whispered in a low tone of voice. With those words, he threw a half empty cup of coffee in the trash can and left the airport with both hands on his pants pockets and the weight of the world in his shoulders.

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A month later, Booth laid in the bed of an emergency room with a dressing over his left side that shown some spots of blood, a mask of oxygen in his face and an IV on his hand. At his side there was Angela and Jack. Both of them looking at him with worried expressions in their faces as they waited for a response from Booth. They heard the door opening and a doctor entering the room.

"Are you his family?" Asked the doctor looking expectantly to both of them.

"Not exactly, but we are the next best thing for him right now." Said Jack as he hugged a sobbing Angela.

"Is he going to be alright?" Angela tried, unsuccessfully, to retain the tears in her eyes.

"This is the second time we have him here in less that three weeks. But he will be fine, the stabs wounds didn't hurt any organ, but he needed 55 stitches to close the multiple wounds. I'm going to keep him for observation tonight. I will discharge him tomorrow morning if he does not develop a fever or any complications."

"Thanks, but why doesn't he wake up?" Jack looked towards Booth , that lay in the bed still asleep.

"He was a little agitated when he arrived and was not able to control himself, so we gave him a sedative. This will make him rest for a while."

"Can I stay with him?" Asked Angela as the doctor wrote something in Booth's medical record.

"All right, if you want to." Said the doctor as he exited the room leaving the couple alone with their friend.

Angela looked at Booth with pity in her eyes. "How did he manage to survive, Jack? He's in a wreck. He is not the same man that we used to know." Angela said as her came up and smoothed Booth's right cheek, soothingly.

"I only see him smile when he has Parker. Yesterday he was telling me that he wanted to move out from DC. Start a new life." Jack's voice was sad at the statement.

"I don't like the idea of him running away. But for once, I think that he needs a break from everything. If he continues like this, he will be killed in a month, Jack." Angela's voice broke into sobs and Jack pulled her trembling form towards his chest, hugging and whispering comforting words into her ear.

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Brennan sat behind an old wood desk. She was finishing the last documentation on the observation guide she had the day before. Her eyes looked the mommies in front of her. It was an excellent specimen, as she referees to it, but something in this entire situation made her sad. She missed her life, and she was not quite sure why, but her inside felt empty, like she had felt years ago. She closed the file in front of her, and opened the computer bag and took a blue book from it. Brennan smiled at it as she passed her hand on the cover and opened it. Letting out a deep sight, she started writing in one of the empty pages.

"_I don't know what I'm doing here. This is a great aspect of my professional career, but something is missing in my life. For the first time on my life, I felt lonely, empty…"_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter #3:

Booth wore civilian clothes as he entered the FBI building. He was in medical leave and was not supposed to return to work in at least two weeks according to the doctors. Cullen had called him yesterday, in the afternoon, to ask him if they could meet at the Bureau at eight in the morning. Booth had agreed. He walked a little laboriously by the stitches in his left side. It was a reminder for not to take over a suspect without looking into his hands first. But at least, he saved the little girl that the suspect was trying to kill. The pain was well earned. Booth knocked softly on the wood door in front of him.

"Come in Agent Booth." Said a voice from the other side of the door.

"Good morning, Sir." Booth tried to walk at straight as he could, but failed miserably.

"Good morning, Agent Booth. Please have a seat." Cullen said to Booth as he finished a phone call.

Booth sat slowly in the chair in front of his boss, grapping his side as he did. Cullen looked at him and a sad smile appeared in his face as he recognized the pain in which his agent was.

"How are you, Booth?" Cullen asked worried.

"Fine sir, just a little sore, but I will be fine." Booth moved in the chair trying to get a more comfortable position.

"It is nice to hear that. Well, I called you to this meeting, because I have an offer for you." Cullen tried to sound convinced but he knew the pain in Booth's face.

"An offer, sir?"

"Yes Booth, did you know that the position for Supervisor of the Division of Crime will be empty at the end of the month?"

"Yes, I had heard a rumor, sir."

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted the position." Cullen smiled at the sight of Booth's astonished face.

"But sir, that means the whole crime division, right?"

"Yes, you are, from far, the best agent we have in the bureau, and I think I already have told you that. Your record was perfect both in the office and in the field. You have never received a criticism against you. I think that you will be the best person for this job."

"Sir, I'm really flattered that you selected me to offer the position, but my ambitions are not to be a boss. I love to be in the field."

"Booth, that is exactly why I think that you are the best person for the job. You never think in yourself. You always think in the others. You understand people, you read them. I'm sure that you will be great in this position."

"You really think that sir?"

"Yes, I do Booth, and my superiors think the same. Your knowledge of field work, undercover mission and military training, make you the best person to fill the position. I have no doubt that you will make a good work. The position wasn't posted because we want you to take it."

Booth remained in silence for a few seconds. Cullen had feared that he would reject the offer, as he had done the previous times.

"I accept it, sir. If you think that I'm up to, I'll take it."Cullen smiled and shook his agent's hand in congratulation.

"I thought that you would refuse the offer this time."

"Well sir, I was thinking on moving out from DC. But maybe you were right; I will take this as a new opportunity in life. Maybe a change will make me good.

"Booth grimaced at the agonizing pain that shot in his ribs at the sudden movement of physically emphasizing his words. Culled smiled in comprehension.

"Ok, I get it. Now, when you return in two weeks, you will assume your new position in here. So, go home and relax. By the way Booth, you will need to train a new agent to take over the liaison in the Jeffersonian for you."

"That will be fine sir. Thanks again."

Booth walked out the door and into the corridor with a faint smile in his face and a new resolution in his chest. He would grab this opportunity with both his hands and take the best of it. Throwing the past over his shoulders, he walked into a new future.

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Hope you like it. Pleaseeeee Reply : )

Thanks to my Bettareader Monisse for the help...


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks everyone for the reviews. Enjoy the next chapter...

Chapter #4:

Many things have changed since that day. He had to admit that he missed working in the field, his new position gave him a big salary raise but the best part was that it made Parker happy, with a less of tight schedule they could spent more time together.

Rebecca came with a new arrangement for the time of Parker, since Booth did not have field work anymore. Parker spent one whole week with Booth and the next with Rebecca, and she left Parker with Booth when she had to get out of town instead of calling a babysitter. This new schedule with Parker was the result of a conversation between Rebecca and his son. Booth had been with him during the weekend and by the time Parker arrived home he got directly into his room and stood there for a long time. Rebecca and Drew became worried and she decided to talk with him.

_She entered the room and saw the boy looking into a photo of his father with him in his arms in the park, both smiling to the camera. Rebecca sat by his side in the floor._

_  
"I love that photo." Rebecca said, trying to get his son's attention towards her._

"_I love to see daddy's smiles. But he doesn't do it now." Parker cleaned a tear that was running down his cheek before it could get into the photo he was holding._

"_But daddy is happy. I saw you with him this afternoon, and he was happy. Like he is always." Rebecca tried to sound sure of her statement but her son did not believe in her._

_  
"No mom, he is not. He smiles when I'm with him. But I can see he is sad almost all the nights when I get to sleep. He doesn't smile like this." Parker ran his little finger into his father's smile._

_Rebecca remained silent for a while not knowing what to say to her son. She hopped that his problem was something else. Parker looked into his mom's eyes._

"_Mom, can I stay more time with daddy?" Parker asked innocently to his mother._

_Rebecca smiled at his idea "Parker, I don't think this will help daddy." She was not sure of what to tell her son._

"_But mom, if he is happy when I'm with him, I can stay more time in his home, so he can smile more and not be so sad all the time." Rebecca smiled down at Parker's innocence and hugged him. _

"_Lets see, ok? I promise you I will talk with dad." She said as she placed a kiss in his forehead._

_Rebecca let Parker with Drew and drove to Booth apartment. She knocked on the door and waited for Booth to open. When she saw his face, she knew that all the conversation with Parker was true. Booth looked sad. He was not the same man that she saw hours before. _

"_Becca, is Parker ok?" He asked in a worried tone while his right hand rubbed his eyes._

"_He is ok. Actually, he is worried about you." Booth moved himself from the door frame to let her enter. She waited for him to sit in the dinner chair and she sat to his right._

_She had a long conversation with him, and after telling him Parker idea, both decided to give a new time schedule a try. Since that day, Parker stood with his dad every other week._

-o-o-o-o-

He still worked with the squints only in special cases, since there was a new agent assigned to this position. Rebecca married Drew, and now both of them were proud parents of a one month baby girl named Amelia. Booth was caught by surprise when both of them named him as her godfather. But he accepted immediately and had become like a second father to Amelia. Since Rebecca announced her pregnancy he had been buying things for the baby and was extremely protective of her, issue that Drew loved since he had been traveling a lot during her pregnancy and was not able to take care of her as he wanted to.

His life was quite good and calm, but he missed her. He was determined to forget her and he had tried dating a few women with Angela's help, but no one completely filled the emptiness in his heart. He was amazed about how six months ago Tessa got into the bureau to see him. Booth was leaving the building for a meeting when she spotted the agent and walked towards him.

"Seeley Booth… or maybe I should call you Director Booth? That sounds more professional." She said in a sexy voice, getting the attention of some people surrounding them.

"Hey Tessa." Booth answered in a not so happy voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting old friends." Booth didn't trust the answer. "I just wanted to see you. I was told that you are not working in the field anymore."

"Oh!" Booth felt like there was something behind it.

"Well, I was wondering if we could have dinner tonight. Just to remember old times, as friends." She got near him with a sexy movement.

"I'm sorry, but…" Booth made a step backwards just to put some distance between both of them.

"Hey, let's get out, just for tonight." Booth looked seriously at her and tried to decide what to do. He did not have Parker that week, and he was going to spend his night alone in his home thinking of her.

"Ok, I can see you at seven in Sid's." He tried to sound convincing.

"I was thinking in a more romantic date?" She used a sensual voice on to him, and he tried as hard as he could to not to break into laughter.

"I don't think so." Booth answered, looking into his phone.

"Ok… see you later." She said as he passed rapidly by side, talking in the phone.

Dinner was not as bad as he had thought, and they saw each other more often. The only two things that Booth had to stop in this relationship, was first, Parker didn't liked her at all, and second, he had the felling that she came back because of his current position. But he decided to have fun with the situation. After all, he saw her only on the weeks that he didn't have Parker.

Since he had accepted the new position, he had been working overtime during the days without his son, even though Cullen didn't liked him working so much. He had the feeling that Booth was only drowning his sorrows in work. He was right in half the motive, as Booth did it to keep his mind occupied and erase her out of his thoughts and in second glance to prove everybody that he deserved the position. But that last option was something nobody ever thought.

He was at his office, looking to a few house photos he had been seeing during the lasts weeks. He had taken Parker with him to see the houses; he wanted a new place and wanted his son's opinion on the matter. After all, Parker would live half his time with him.

Suddenly a call broke the silence.

"Booth" He answered putting the photos on the upper drawer of his desk.

"Is this Seeley Booth?" The voice of a woman asked nervously.

"Yes, who are you?" Booth asked, picking up some files from the desk and took a quick glance of them.

"I'm calling from the University Hospital." The voice announced and Booth let the files fell from his hand.

"Hospital?" Booth asked with worry.

"Sir, we need your presence here, there has been an accident." Booth was in his feet running towards the elevator. "Who?"

"Rebecca…"

Booth did not allow the nurse to end the sentence.

"I'll be there in ten minutes." He didn't want to hear the things that his heart was yelling. Parker… Amelia.

He jumped into his SUV and turned the lights and the siren to run in the streets. He felt his heart in his throat. He couldn't breath.

_They have to be alright… they have to be alright… please God… let them be fine…_

He repeated his wishes over and over again during the trip to the hospital.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter #5:

As soon as Booth reached the hospital, he was taken inside of an office. There he found a doctor waiting for him.

"Hi, my name is Dr. Ross." The young doctor said as he held a hand for Booth.

"How are they?" Booth shook the hand and took a sit in the chair in front of the desk. His face was a true reflection of his preoccupation.

"I'm sorry to inform that both parents died in the scene. They were both taken here, but we couldn't do anything for them." Booth hided his face with his hand and let out a soft frustration sigh.

"And the kids?" Booth asked in fear to the doctor, as soon as a dark image of his son and goddaughter appeared in his mind.

"The baby is in the nursery. She is fine, not even a scratch. The boy, Parker...is in a room in the pediatric ward. He had a broken ulna on the left side and one fractured rib. He also has a minor contusion and small cuts made by the broken glass in his face that required a few stitches. Right now he is unconscious, but he will be just fine." The doctor told him in a serene voice.

"Can I see them?" Booth questioned in a whisper.

"You can see your son in a few minutes, he is having a CT right now, but since the girl is not yours, social service..." Booth stopped the doctor once more.

"I'm her godfather. Please let me have her, until this situation ends?" Booth knew he had no legal right to have the baby with him, but he need to have her near him now.

Booth had spotted a police officer in the pediatric ward while he waited to see Parker. He knew the officer and asked him for information regarding the accident. An old men suffered a massive heart attack and crashed his truck into Rebecca's small car, dragged the car near twenty feet from the impact. Parker and Amelia were in the car with them. Amelia was left untouched and Parker was thrown by the impact into his side and his body covered the car seat of the baby, but the doctors retained her in the hospital for observation or at least until social services came to pick her up.

Since Booth was the godfather of Amelia, the doctors agreed to let him have her into Parker's room until social services decided what to do with her. Parker was still unconscious, but the doctors told Booth that the boy would be fine after reviewing the results from the CT and the MRI. Booth felt impotent looking at his son in that state.

_Oh God, why did this happen. _

Parker was so happy that he would be in the zoo today. He talked all week about all of cool animals he and Amelia were going to see. And now, he was here, all covered in cuts, and without his mother. And Amelia, she was alone. He thought that Rebecca wouldn't want her with her parents since the fight that they had two years ago about Parker. Maybe Drew had family that would take care of her. He really hoped so. With this thought, Booth fell asleep, waiting for Parker to wake up.

A nurse entered the room and smiled as she spotted Booth with Amelia in his chest. She slowly shook his shoulder and waited for him to wake up.

"They found this in the car. A policeman left it in the nursery a while ago. I thought maybe you need it." She told him in a low voice and gave Booth the baby bag. "I will bring you a few bottles of formula for her. I think she must be hungry."

"Thanks."

"If you need anything just call."

Booth decided to look inside the bag. He smiled. There was a little pajama he gave her a few days ago.

"What do you think we change that horrible pajama they put on you? Do you like this one?" He said to the baby.

Booth smiled seeing a smile in Amelia's lips. "I will take that as a yes."

He placed Amelia into Parker's bed and started changing her diaper and her clothes, smiling.

"I never realized how much I missed this." Booth smiled as his hands worked a clean dipper around the baby.

The nurses came into the room a few hours later to check on Parker and smiled when they saw that Booth was asleep with Amelia in his chest and with his son's hand into his. They checked on Parker with out waking up neither of them and then left them to rest.

At five in the morning, a soft shake in his shoulder woke him up. He looked at his son who was still sleeping and cautiously held Amelia who was waking up slowly.

"Mr. Booth?" Asked a tall skinny man with a briefcase on one hand and a file in the other.

"Yes. Who are you?" Booth questioned as the man obviously was not hospital personnel.

"Hi, my name is Andrew Tobb. I was Rebecca's lawyer." The man said as he gave a hand shake to Booth.

"A Lawyer?" Responded the agent turning his attention to Amelia.

A nurse came into the room and gave Booth a bottle for Amelia and then left. Booth held the baby in his arms, close to his chest, and started feeding her.

"Mr. Booth, I received the call regarding Rebecca and Drew's death later last night. They had made a will and made some decision regarding their family. I'm sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, but I have received a call from social service telling me that they will remove Amelia from the hospital at 7 in the morning, so I have to resolve this as soon as I can." Said the man in one breath.

"I don't understand" Booth looked from Amelia to Parker to the lawyer trying to understand what he had told him.

"As you know, since you are Parker's father, he will be with you from now on." The lawyer was talking when Booth interrupted.

"Ok, but what will happen to Amelia?"

The lawyer made no further comment and took an envelope from his briefcase and handed it over to Booth.

"I will be outside." Booth took the envelope from his hands and looked at it. In the front, he could see his name wrote in the clear calligraphy of Rebecca.

"What is all this about?" He thought for himself as he continued to feed Amelia with one hand, while he opened the letter with the other.

_**Seeley:**_

_**I hope you never have to read this, but if you ever do, it means that something bad happen to me and Drew. I know that you will be a wonderful father for Parker, you already are. As you must know by now, if I die Parker will be with you. But regarding Amelia I don't know what to do.**_

_**Drew and I became worried about her whereabouts the same day that she was born. Drew does not have family and, well, you know what happened between me and my parents long time ago, so you are only person that I trust to take care of her. I know that we are asking much. I want my children to be raised together and with a home full of love, care and respect.**_

_**By know you must be thinking that we are crazy, but no, Drew was the one that suggest you as her guardian. I told him that you were my first option since the idea came to our minds, but I will felt better if it was him the one that came up with your name. Drew had seen the care and love that you always had for Parker and more than once told me that he want to be just like you to Amelia. You are a great man Seeley. He was sure that you will take care of her like she's yours. After all, he is sure that you will do background checks on any people that get near her, as you did to him when he first appeared near Parker. Since that day, you got his respect, he was sure that your love for Parker was enough to protect him from anyone including yourself.**_

_**I wish I could be there for them, but I know that you will be and that makes me felt calm. I know that the last decision regarding Amelia had to be yours. I talked to some layers and all of them told me, that I could establish our desire in a will, but you will have to make it official. Official as you will adopt our daughter as yours. We also established that if you choose to keep her, as I hope you do, her name will change. You must be thinking that we are out of our minds, but we both think that this will make things easier for you if she had your last name. We don't want to give you more trouble that the one that you will have just for taking her in your life. So, she will be named Amelia Marie Booth. This will not change the fact that we are her parents, but she will need a father there to whom she can go for advice, for love, and that one will be you. That was established in the will, so you will have to accept it if you decide to take Amelia with you.**_

_**I hope that your life will be filled with love and happiness. Sorry, if I gave you a hard time, but I have to admit that you are a wonderful man Seeley, and most important of all, a wonderful father.**_

**_Love__,_**

**_Rebecca and Drew_**

**_o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o_**

**_What do you think?? Hate it, like it... Please reply : ) : )_**


	6. Chapter 6

I'm so sorry. I forgot to post this chaper last time, so i will post two chapters today for the mistake. Forgive me please. ;-(

Chapter 6:

Booth's eyes were filled with tears. He didn't know what to think or what to do at all of this. He was trilled to have Parker with him, sad about the situation that fulfilled his hidden desire, and now, he had in his hands the future of the baby that he held against his chest. He looked at Parker and then at Amelia. The baby was looking back at him. He always lost track of time while looking at the precious baby. She was exactly like Parker; the only difference was that her hair appeared to be straight or at least not as curly as Parker. But her eyes were the same. In the times he had Amelia with him, everybody thought she was his daughter.

"I don't know what to do." He said looking into Amelia's eyes.

"What do you think I should do? I love kids, but I live alone. Well, not really, I will have Parker with me now. But a baby? Do you think I will be a good dad for you too? I know Parker always said that I'm the best dad in the world, but he must say it, I'm his dad. And well..."

Booth looked amazed and stopped talking as the baby grabbed his finger with her little hands and looked into his eyes. Booth smiled and hugged her closer.

"Mr. Tobb?" He left the baby bottle in the table beside him and stood up to face the lawyer.

"Yes?"

"Could you explain me all of this, I don't quite understand." Booth entered Parker's room and sat in chair while the lawyer took another and sat in front of him.

"They came to my office a week after Amelia was born. They asked me to write their will. They were worried in what would happen to Amelia is something happened to the both of them. Rebecca was calm about the fact that Parker would be with you, but she was worried about Amelia. So they make a legal document that named you as her legal guardian. They were clear that you needed to legally adopt her to make it official. If you decide to take her, you will have to adopt her. Drew wanted you to give her your last name." The lawyer said calmly.

"But..." Booth was having trouble to understand everything and the lawyer knew it.

"They believe that this will be easier for you in the future. If Amelia was older, this could be an issue, but since she is only two months, there will not be any."

"If I don't keep her, what will happen to her?" He had already made his decision, but he still wanted to know.

"Two options are available. If you decide not to keep her, she will be sent to her grandparents, if they can't keep her, she will be put in the system."

"No." Booth thought of Brennan's history with the system. He couldn't send the little girl into that. He looked kindly towards the baby in his arms.

"I will keep her. If that is what they want, I will take her with me."

"Good, you need to find a lawyer to help with the legal issues to make the adoption. Also, I have a legal document which allows you to take Amelia with you, as soon as you leave. I will talk to the social service of the hospital to explain the situation so you can take her home with you." The lawyer shook Booth's hand and left the room leaving a confuse Booth behind him.

After an hour, the lawyer returned to Parker's room and gave Booth an envelope with the documents, gave him his card and left the room. Booth couldn't stop looking at her. After a while Booth called Cullen.

"Booth, I hope there is a very good reason for you to be calling me on a Sunday at 7 in the morning." Said Cullen in an annoyed voice.

"Sorry sir if I woke you up. That was not my intention." Cullen could hear the sadness in his agent's voice and immediately became worried.

"Booth what happen? Is everything alright?" He sat immediately in his bed waking his wife with the sudden movement.

"Sir, I'm at the hospital." Booth confessed passing a hand over the back of his head.

"Are you hurt son?" Cullen was stepping out the bed and running into the bathroom.

"No sir, it was Rebecca, she and her husband died yesterday in a car crash. Parker is in the hospital and I... " Booth felt a lump on his throat.

"Booth, I'm on my way." Cullen said to him.

"Thanks sir."

Cullen arrived at the hospital with his wife in less that an hour. Booth sat in a chair, tired, looking sadly to his son while he slept. The nurses have taken Amelia into the nursery a few minutes ago to let Booth rest for a little. Cullen put a hand over his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Booth nodded and exited the room after giving his son a kiss in the forehead and told him, in a whisper, that he is going to be in the hallway. Cullen's wife sat with Parker in the room near the bed, while both men went outside.

"How are you son?"

"I'm worried for Parker. The doctors told me that he will wake up very soon, but I just want to see his eyes. This is killing me." Booth ran his hands over his face in desperation.

"I know Booth, just you have to stay still at his side. Everything is going to be alright."  
Booth nodded and sat in the waiting area of the hospital in front of the nurse's desk. His boss sat by his side.

"Booth, what is going to happen with the kids?" Cullen asked in a calm voice.

"Parker is going home with me, since I'm his father." Booth said not averting his eyes from the floor.

"And the baby?"

"Rebecca and Drew left me this." Booth searched in the inside pocket of his coat and gave Cullen the letter and waited for him to finish reading it. Cullen was amazed at the content and the deepness of the words in it. He knew Booth very well, and knew that Booth always thought that he was a lousy father with Parker but no one believed that.

"Booth, are you taking her with you?" Cullen asked, astonished.

"Yes sir, I don't have the heart to give her away to the foster system. I know this will be a big change in my live, but at least I will try." His boss looked at him with pride. He had always been proud of him, and now he was even more.

"Booth, you are a great father and a great man, you will be fine. If you need anything just call us." Cullen placed his hand over the shoulder of the agent and gave it a little squeeze.

"Thank you sir. I really appreciate it."

Cullen stood with Booth for a while and then decided to leave so that Booth could have some rest. Almost after Cullen left, Booth drifted into a dreamless sleep. Then he felt a light movement in Parker's bed. He almost felt from the chair as he saw his son's eyes open.

"Hey buddy." Booth said to his son while he sat into his son's bed.

"Daddy, where I am?" Asked Parker calmly.

"You are at the hospital." Booth tried to maintain himself calm for his son.

"Dad, where is mom, Drew and Amelia?" Booth understood that the memories of the accident had returned to his son.

"Park, Amelia is sleeping right now. She is ok buddy." He said in a quiet voice.

"What about mom and Drew?" Parker saw the sadness in his father's eyes and started crying.

"Parker, listen to me. Everything is going to be just fine." Booth tried to calm his son but was unable to do it. He hugged his son as hard as he could without hurting his ribs.

"Where are they?" Asked, finally, Parker to his father.

"They are resting." Booth answered his son as simply as he could.

"Like Amelia?" The boy ask looking into his father eyes.

"No bud. They are in heaven." Booth replied after taking a deep breath and close his eyes unable to see his son face.

"Heaven like I won't be able to see them again?" Asked Parker worried about the answer.

"Yes son. They are in heaven and maybe we won't be able to see them, but we can always remember them." Parker was crying again, but not as hard as he had before. He thought about his father's words.

"What will happen to me? I'm going to heaven too?"

In the middle of all tears and sadness Booth laughed softly at the innocent question of his son and stroked the blond curls on the boy head.

"No, you will be with me from now on. Only if you want to." Said Booth worried again about his son.

"I like that. And Amelia daddy?"

"I think she could stay with us. What do you think?" The first smile that Parker gave Booth since he woke up was in the same moment he discovered that Amelia would be staying with them.

After Parker returned to sleep, Booth decided to call Angela. He was surprised to find Angela and Jack at the hospital in less than 30 minutes after he called them. When they arrived, Booth was sleeping in to the chair near Parker's bed. Angela looked saddly at Booth. He had felt the door close as Jack entered in to the room and moved, he smiled as he saw who where the persons.

"Thanks for coming..."

"No thanks ok? What are friends for?" Said Angela while she hugged Booth.

"I don't know what to do."

"Hey G-man, we're here to help you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter #7:

Two weeks later, Booth returned to work. Cullen told him to take more time off to stay with the kids, but since Parker had returned to school, he had nothing to do at home, and to be true to himself, he couldn't stay in his home thinking over and over again about Rebecca or Bones. He had appointed Amelia into the FBI day care with the help of Cullen, due to the fact that he was not the legal guardian of Amelia until he finished the adoption process.

After much thinking, Booth decided to sell Rebecca's house. The house was in his name since he bought it when he first moved into DC from Philadelphia, but when Rebecca became pregnant he left her the house and found himself a new place. He thought in moving to that house, but erased that idea as soon as he thought in his son. By now, Booth had to share his bed with Parker since he had been having nightmares since the accident. And, also, Amelia was sleeping in his room in her crib; he had taken it from Rebecca's house the day he went to pick up some of Parker and Amelia's stuffs. Those two facts made him smile every night.

_At least I'm not alone anymore_. He thought to himself every night, before getting into the bed.

His decision of taking both kids with him had mixed reactions in the people surrounding him. Many of them were worried about the wellbeing of the kids with his job, others offered their help, but it was Tessa's reaction that made him understand that this "relationship" was not going anywhere, not that he was willing to continue with it.

"Seeley, are you telling me that you are taking both kids with you?" They were sitting in a park bench. She wanted to have dinner, but he was waiting an outburst and he didn't want to make a scene in a restaurant.

"Tessa, Parker is my son, and I won't give him away."

"Yes, but what about the little girl. She is not you daughter. You can give her away, maybe you can be sure that she has a nice place to stay. And Parker, we can send him in to a military internship. I don't know."

"Are you insane?"

"Don't be disrespectful, Seeley!"

"Sorry, but I won't change my decision. If you or other women want to establish a serious relationship with me, you must accept my kids. And more important, my kids must like her, because they are the first thing in my life."

"Booth, you have to understand that I don't like kids, and I don't think that I'm quite ready to be in charge of two little rug rats."

Booth felt his anger rising. He breathed heavily calming his senses and the rampant urge to strangle her.

"I'm sorry, but if you don't accept the fact that _my kids_ are the priority in my live, I'm sorry, but I won't change them for anyone." Booth grabbed his coat and left her in the park bench, mouth open.

That was the last time he saw her.

One month since the accident had passed, and now Amelia was officially Amelia Booth. When the funeral of Rebecca took place, a week after the accident, Rebecca's parent tried to remove the baby from Booth arms, claiming that she was not going to stay with him. He tried to explain the situation and their daughter's wish, but they just didn't want to listen.

After a few intense minutes, they stopped trying as they saw a group of people lead by Cullen getting near them. Before leaving, Rebecca's assured to Booth that he wouldn't take their granddaughter from them. That same night, Booth called Hans.

Hans had been a great help with the adoption process. He was a judge and an old war friend, and with the help of some people in the Bureau, the adoption process ended in less than two weeks. Since then, he had not heard anything about Rebecca's family.

Booth decided to rearrange his home so the kids would have their own space. Cullen had been trying to convince him to find a more secure place for him. The house had been a constant issue to his security on the Bureau since he had been receiving menacing notes against his life since he started pursuing the drug lords. His superiors were worried about the location of the house, and since they couldn't convince him to move, they had decided to install a security system on it.

Angela and Hodgins were really friends to him during the entire ordeal since Rebecca's death. Angela helped him take care of the kids while he and Jack made arrangements in the house during the weekends.

Also, Angela drew a beautiful mural in Amelia's room. It was full of butterflies and flowers surrounding her name written in cursive letter. She appointed herself to decorate her room, by knowing that Booth had no idea how to do it. She had taken Booth and the kids along with Jack one weekend to do home shopping, so they could decide what to do in each room. They selected a butterfly and ladybug motive in burgundy, violet, white and green color. Since he had bought Amelia's crib for Rebecca as a gift, he had moved all the room furniture in the nursery.

Booth let Parker decide the decoration for his room, and Parker selected sports. This was really an experiment for both Jack and Booth, since that it was their special project. They painted the walls in red, blue and white colors, and used the furniture Parker already had. They used Angela to draw different balls and sport's equipment, and then Jack and Booth painted the drawings. They had to admit that the final result was great.

After redoing his room, Parker had decided to try and sleep in his "cool" room, and it was working good, since Parker had been alone in his room for three days in a row.

He had left the kids in their rooms and then decided to sleep. After three hours of lying in his bed he stood up. He did his custom routine of walking into the kids room and then into the kitchen. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat in the little backyard terrace with a file in his hands. It was cold in the outside, but that did not matter, right now he just wanted to be there with his thoughts and maybe if he was lucky enough he could do some work.

The next morning, he drove to the FBI and left Amelia in the day care, then drove Parker to the school and finally drove himself to the Jeffersonian. He needed Cam to sign a few document for the closing of a case. He wanted to give Angela something for the help she and Jack had given him. He was already leaving, when he saw Angela.

"Booth, how are you? You look pale." Angela asked concerned as she hugged him.

"I'm tired, but fine." Freeing himself from her brace.

"Did Amelia have bad last night?" She asked with a grin on her lips.

"No, she is just an angel. It's me, I'm feeling tired recently."

"Hey, you need to take care of yourself too." Booth passed a hand over his tired face.

"I will, I promise."

"Angela, I got something for you and Jack. Thank you for all that you two have done for me and the kids. Really, thanks."

"We do it without asking anything back."

"I know that, but I really want you guys to have this." Booth gave her a gift bag, When Angela took out the gift, her eyes filled with tears. It was a photo frame with a big photo of Parker hugging Amelia sitting in the park.

"It's beautiful Booth, thanks. When did you take this?"

"Yesterday, we were walking in the park and Amelia was laughing with Parker, so I decide it would make a great present for you guys."

"Oh, Seeley. Thanks. I will put this in my office. Maybe I'll make another copy and place it on my house."

"That will be nice. I think I have another different photo of them. Let me check my computer, and I'll send it to you. Ok?"

"Sure" She said with a big smile on her lips. "Well sweetie, I better keep going. I have a meeting in an hour."

Booth gave Angela a hug and a kiss on the cheek and left the platform.

As he was exiting the lab, he looked toward her office. Angela noticed that immediately, but left him alone. Since she left, Booth had been sad until the kids came into his life. They had brought happiness to his days and Angela was glad for that. His clothes had also changed. He stopped using bright colorful ties and his belt buckle was more "normal" than the ones he used when he worked with her. The only thing he did not stop using were his colorful socks.


	8. Chapter 8

I made a mistake posting the last chapter. THe one that i named 6 was supposed to be #7, i already put the correct chapters and add the correct #6. So as i made a mistake, i post two chapters today as a present for my mistake. Sorry for the inconviniences.

Lilly

Chapter #8:

A week later, Angela was sitting in the stair of the platform when she saw her. She was looking exactly as the day in which she had left, only a few pounds lighter.

"Sweetie?" Yelled Angela in disbelief as she ran towards her friend and wrapped her in a strong hug.

"Hi Angela." She hugged her friend back.

"When did you arrive?" Angela asked in shock.

"This morning. I'm just passing by to leave these documents to Goodman and then get into my apartment. I need to rest. The flight was awful." Brennan said rolling her eyes.

"I will invite you to lunch with me so we can have some "girl talk". What about Jack's place tonight?" Angela asked kindly.

"No, thanks Angela, I think I will pass. Maybe tomorrow if that's fine with you?" Brennan told her friend.

"Alright, but you have to tell me about your trip."

Brennan agreed and left the file in her desk before walking outside. She had other thinks in mind. She wanted to see him, she need to see him again, and take, again, what she had behind. Angela remained watching her all the time. Something in her friend was different.

_She does not stay here? That's strange._

Angela thought before walking to find Jack and tell him the good news.

"Jack, Bren is in town!" She yelled to him, jumping.

She walked towards the Bureau to look for him. She got into his office and found that the space was now occupied by other agent. He kindly gave the directions towards his new office. She was amazed when she realized that Booth's office was just side by side with Cullen's. When she spotted the position plaque in the large wood door, she realized that Booth was the second in charge of the FBI. He was now in charge of all the crime division and also played as sub-deputy director of the FBI. When she was about to enter in his office, the lady sat by the desk in front of the door, stopped her.

"Excuse me ma'am, but do you have an appointment?" She said kindly as she saw Brennan walking to the door.

"No. But I think that Agent Booth will be happy to see me." _I hope so_. She thought.

"Director Booth is not available at the moment. Do you want to wait for him or prefer to leave a message?" She corrected Brennan with a smile.

"I think I will wait." Brennan sat on the chair in front of the secretary and thought on how things changed in a little more than a year.

"Fine, he is in a meeting and will be back in a few minutes. You are his ex-partner right, Dr. Brennan?"

E_x-partner, how sad it sounds. But it's the truth, I decided to leave him._

"Yes, nice to meet you." Said Brennan as she gave the lady her hand.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm May, his secretary. You can wait for him here if you like. I think he is leaving for today at the end of the meeting, but he still has to pick his things."

"Thanks."

While waiting, her mind got to the last time they spoke to each other. She asked him to wait for her, but apparently he decided to continue with his life. She waved her head sideways to concentrate in what she was going to tell him.

Brennan looked at her watch and noticed that she had been waiting for almost half an hour. She was going to try to ask some questions about Booth while waiting for him when she heard the sound of his voice. She turned to see him. The first thing she noticed was that his clothes were "boring". He stopped using the colorful ties, and his shirt was white, no more 'cocky' belt buckle and his face seemed tired.

_What happen to him?_ She asked herself as she saw him.

"Jackson, I need you to take this file to the Jeffersonian first thing in the morning. Ask Cam to sign the autopsy report to send this case to trail. And have Jack give you the final report of the soil and bug analysis." Booth handed a file to the agent next to him with a smile.

"Yes sir, I will."

"Thank you Jackson. By the way, I approved your vacations. You are leaving two weeks from now, and have three weeks. Have a nice one." Booth said with his hand over the agent's shoulder.

"Thank you, sir. But what will happen to the liaison?" The agent asked worried.

"Don't worry about it. I will cover you as much as I can. I already talked about it with Cullen. It's all right. Just be sure to return in time." Booth answered smiling at the worried agent.

"You are the best."

"Do not say it again." Said Booth with a huge smile in his lips as he placed his hand over Jackson's shoulder again.

"I see you tomorrow, go and have a goodtime with your kids."

"You too sir, and thanks again." Said the agent as he walked towards the office space at his right.

Booth smiled to the agent and shocked his head sideways as he turned to walk to his office. He lifted his head and finally saw her standing in front of his secretary and the smile he had in his lips dissolved. He hesitated before continuing in the way to his office. With a big sigh he walked to his secretary without looking to her directly. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time, but he was not expecting her in this office so soon.

"May, I need to talk with the Deputy Director of the Secret Service. Do you mind getting him for me?" Booth asked to his secretary with a smile.

"No sir. I'll do it right away."

"Thanks." Booth let go another long breath before facing her.

"Dr. Brennan!" He said coldly.

"Booth, how are you?" She hung herself into his neck. He put his arms around her waist. But something did not felt right. His arms didn't make any force to hold her tightly as he use to do.

"Long time no see you Dr. Brennan. I did not know that you were coming today." Booth let her go, and entered his office.

"Booth, I am so sorry about everything. You were right."

"And yet, it takes you more that a year to see that I was right and you were wrong." Booth responded coldly not looking back at her.


	9. Chapter 9

**"Thanks a lot for your comments. Here is the next chapter of this story. Enjoy."**

**_Chapter #9:_**

 Brennan felt her heart sink in sadness.

_He had change. But what was I expecting after the way I treated him? By now he must have someone in his life._

Her thoughts were interrupted when Booth's secretary passed him the phone call of the Deputy Director of the Secret Service. She sat in front of him as he spoke. She was amazed about the way that he talked to these men. He sounded secure of himself, with an authority that she had never heard in his voice before. She decided to take look at his office. It was different than the one she had seen before. All the furniture was in cherry wood. She spotted that all his previous decorations had been moved intact, including the hockey frames and the old photos. She saw a big bookshelf that had various books on it, and other decorations too. Amazed, she spotted a photo of the squints with him and Parker. It seemed like a birthday party at Sid's. She saw, with sadness, his smile, the one that she was sure she would see today, but that didn't appear in his face.  After ten long minutes, he hanged the phone, and stared back at her.

"Dr. Brennan, it was more than a year. How was everything in Egypt?" He decided to break the silence first.

"Fine, it was fine. How about you?" Brennan noticed a sad smile in his lips.

"I'm fine. There were some changes in my life, but I will survive."

He was packing his briefcase and his laptop when she noticed two new large photos beside the one of Parker that was in his old office, behind him.  One was a little girl, she was about four or five months old, and the other was with Parker and the girl in Booth's arms. He seemed happy. Brennan did the simple math in her head. 

"You lied to me!"  She snapped at him.

"I beg your pardon?" Booth asked confused.

She pointed at the girl in the photo.

"You told me that you loved me, and then you had to release your human desire as soon as I left, no?

"What are you talking about? I never lied to you. And I will ask you to control your voice; we are in an office not in a park." Booth spat in an authority voice that made her tremble.

Brennan started to breath slowly, trying hard to control herself.

"And how do you explain that girl into your arms? The only way that you have a little girl now is that you and her mother get into bed as soon as I left. You did not wait any time to get someone into your bed, did you?"

Booth was feeling, inside of him, the anger and the frustration repressed over the last year. He closed his eyes in an attempt to calm himself. After a few minutes he looked into her eyes. She felt the rush of anger coming from him.

"I don't have to give you explanations of my acts during these months. You were the one that abandoned me. You were the one that left. The mummies were more important to you than my feelings. I got that straight from you, Dr. Brennan, that night. If you want to know about that girl, yes, she is my daughter. And I don't regret anything. She and Parker gave me the happiness that I lost when you decided to leave, they rescued me. If they haven't come into my life, right now, I would be dead. They are the reason for which I work each day. Because, unlike you Dr. Brennan, when I get home, I see these two little faces smiling in front of me, and everything else disappears."

Brennan stood still as he finished his speech and walked toward the door with the backpack in hand. She was expecting him to yell at her, but he had spoken firmly, but with calm and peace in his voice. He was at the door frame when he turned to see her.

"As you once told me, you should never jump to conclusion, Dr. Brennan. You don't have any right to get into my life after more than a year and question me about the decisions I make. I don't regret any of the ones that I take. Those made me the men you see."

With those words he stepped out of his office and after saying goodbye to his secretary he walked towards the elevator. She walked straight behind him. As both stood in the elevator neither of them spoke. Booth felt uncomfortable in the same space with her and felt relieved when his phone started to ring. Brennan looked at him curiously as a smile appeared in his lips before asking.

_Just on time, as always._ Booth said to himself.

"Hey, how is my favorite person?" Booth said happily.

"Daddy! Are you coming?" Parker asked.

"I am on my way to pick the princess, so I'll be home in about thirty minutes."

"Can we have pizza today?" Booth smiled at the pledging tone of his son.

"Yes, but tomorrow we cook, ok?" Booth laughed at the yell of excitement of his son.

"Thanks daddy."

"Can you put Rose on the phone?" Asked Booth to his son as he passed his hand over the back of his head and pressed it while he waited for Rose to take the phone.

Booth had a little conversation with Rose and told her that he would be at home a little later than usual since little man of the house had asked for pizza, and then ended the conversation.

She saw him as he walked to the daycare in the first floor. She hid behind a column, but he noticed her and smiled to himself.

_I think that you will regret your decision Dr. Brennan, I'm not the same._

She saw as he picked up a little girl from a crib. She was dressed in a lime green dress and small white sandals. He took her bag and kissed her in the cheeks. Brennan could see the girl smile and grab his jacket as he wrapped her with a pink cover. Booth exited the nursery with a big smile.

_He's happy. There is the smile again._ She thought when he passed by her.

"You don't have to hide Dr. Brennan. If you are so curious, I can introduce my daughter."

Brennan was amazed at the smooth calm tone of his voice. She walked out from the column to face him.

"Sorry." She said sincerely.

"Don't be. This is Amelia. Amelia, this is Dr. Brennan." Brennan looked at the girl.

"She is beautiful, Booth."

"Thanks."  Booth said proudly.

"Can I hold her?"

Booth was astonished by the question, but agreed. He remembered the time that both of them took care of Andy during a case. As soon as he gave Amelia to her, the girl began to cry uncontrollably. Brennan was terrified at the little girl's screams. Booth took the baby against his chest and immediately, she stopped crying. Brennan looked at Booth as he displayed his bright smile.

"She knows you?" _What an idiot I am, of course she knows him, he is her father._

"I guess so; she loves to be in here. This is our special bond. Right, pumpking?" Booth said to the baby. "Dr. Brennan I must go. Nice to see you again."

Brennan had hoped to talk to him, but he was not the same Booth that she remembered. He was different. Cold to her.

After leaving the building, Brennan drove towards the lab, hoping that Angela was there. She needed to know what happened to the Booth during her time away. When she entered in her friend's office, she spotted the photo that Booth gave Angela as a present.

"I see that you have met the new addition to his family?" Said Brenan mad.

"Oh, you mean Amelia? Yes, she is such a sweetheart."

"And did you knew her mother?"

"Yes, I did."

"And who is she? I want to know for whom he left me."

"Sweetie, you were the one who left him."

"It was work, not pleasure."

"For you it was both."

"He told me that he would wait for me. I told him that he lied, that he just got into bed with the first one that crossed into his life after I left."

"You told him that?"

"Yes, I did."

Angela looked angrily at Brennan for the first time since they knew each other.

"Brennan, I love you, but right now, you are the most stubborn person in the world."

"Ange..."

"Ange nothing. You'll hear me now. When you left he was so mad. He was a daredevil at work, he almost got himself killed twice, one of them with knives. He spent himself in work until Cullen offered him the promotion. He took it as a way to leave you behind. You hurt him. He almost left the city."

"I didn't mean to." Brennan said sitting in the couch.

Angela lowered her voice. "You didn't mean it, but you did. He trained a new agent to work here, so he is not more the liaison from the FBI. "

"Agent Jackson?"

"Yes, he is a nice guy. Not like Booth, but nice. Many things had changed in his life. He had suffered a lot during this time."

"Yes, in the arms of a woman that takes his pain away. He did not love me. Love does not exist. That proves my theory about the non existence of love."

Angela got angrier by each word her friend professed; she stood up and yelled at Brennan.

"You don't deserve a man like Booth. Really, he was a nice guy with a heart of gold. He loved you, but you pushed him off your life even though he was always by your side. If he didn't told you I won't do it. Believe me; you will regret everything you said to him."

And then Angela stormed out of the office, grabbed her coat and exited the lab.

"I never regretted anything that I said in my life, and I won't be starting now."


	10. Chapter 10

Here start troubles between them.... ; )

Chapter #10:

Booth was so happy with his children that it was only until both of them were in bed that he remembered Brennan's accusations. He wanted to yell at her, but he was not the same man. By now, he understood that he did not need to yell at others to make his point clear. He discovered that when you talk calmly the words get by easily and sometimes those words cause more pain. He remembered how Amelia started to cry after she took her. He smiled.

_I should have told her that she does not like many girls... I think that Angela and Rose were the only ones she was comfortable with..._

Thinking about the day, he got into bed.

----

It was Angela's birthday and she invited Booth and the kids to a meal in Jack's house. It was nine when he arrived at the house. Taking care of two little persons at the same time was not easy but he had become a professional at it. Parker was a great big brother. He helped Booth with everything regarding the care of his little sister. While Booth grabbed Amelia from her car seat, Parker took her bag. Together they walked toward the front door. Parker pushed the bell button.

"Who is it?" A voice asked.

"Booth, Parker and the little princess."

When they arrived to the main house Angela kissed each one of them and tried to pick up Amelia, but she was more comfortable in her father's chest. She held to his coat with all her might.

"Oh, I think that she is really attracted to you."

"You have no idea Ange. By the way, happy birthday."

"Thank you guys." Parker gave her an envelope.

"I hope you like it." Said Booth, smiling.

When Angela opened the envelope she became breathless. "Booth, I.."

"It's alright. I already talked with the lawyer and my parents. They knew about this decision and they accept it. After what happen I want my kids to be around people that love them if something happens to me. I made the lawyer put you and Jack as next of kin for the kids if something happen to me."

Angela was unable to speak and hugged Booth as hard as she could and poured all the unsaid words in a friendly embrace. She left him after hearing the soft cry of Amelia.

"Sorry princess."

Parker was playing with Angela's new dog when he saw Brennan walking towards him.

"Hi Parker." Brennan gave him a kiss and a tight hug.

"Daddy told me that you were in Egypt." Parker said amazed from seeing her there.

"That's true, but I came back a few weeks ago."

"Daddy, you don't tell me!" Parker said to his father in an accusatory tone.

"Sorry Parker, I forgot." Booth responded with a little embarrassment in his voice.

"It's fine daddy, I know that you are really tired at night." Parker said with a smile in his lips.

Angela had noticed the looking that Brennan was giving Booth with the baby in his arms.

"Booth, may I try to pick her up? Jack is in the back yard waiting for you."

"Thanks. Now little princess, let daddy have some rest for a while so he can see Uncle Jack." Booth said to the baby while he separated the baby from him. When Booth gave Amelia to Angela, Brennan was waiting for the baby to cry, but she didn't. The baby laughed as soon as Angela took her. Brennan was stunned.

_Why did she cry when I picked her up?_

The diner was really funny, thanks to Parker's school stories. Brennan could not keep her eyes off Booth. He seen so happy and calm with his kids around him. His face expression was relaxed, not the same that she saw at his office a week before.

Before leaving and saying his goodbyes he heard Brennan say something to Parker that made Booth's blood cold.

"Goodbye Dr. Brennan. I hope to see you later." Parker said to Brennan while he gave her a kiss and a hug.

"Well, when you are with daddy, we can plan something. I mean if that's alright with your dad." Brennan gave Booth a side look.

"Oh, I live with daddy now!" Parke said calmly.

She gasped in surprise, but her curiosity was asking for more. Booth tried to stop her but he couldn't.

"What happen to you mother? When do you see her?"

Booth gave Amelia to Angela and ran towards Parker. The eyes of the little boy filled with tears at once. Brennan looked at him scared. "What did I said?"

"It's alright buddy. We are going home It's ok." Booth took his son in his arms and lifted him while rubbing circles in his back. Parker buried his face into his father neck and cried. Booth had not heard Parker like this since the time he told him about Rebecca in the hospital. He couldn't blame Brennan, she did not know.

"Shhh. It's going to be ok. Shhh. I promise buddy, it's going to be just fine." Booth hugged his son as hard as he could while his own eyes became filled with unshed tears.

"I think we should leave. I'm tired and the kids too. Thanks for everything. Good night Dr. Brennan."

"I help you with the bags." Said Jack to him as Angela covered Amelia with her coat and headed outside. Parker lifted his head from his father's neck and looked directly to Brennan.

"My mom is in heaven."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Hope you like the new Chapter. Thanks to Monisse for your help editing the chapters, you are an angel. And for all of you guys, thanks. ...

I


	11. Chapter 11

Here is the next Chapter., this one is most Booth's family centric. As always hope you enjoy it. Please, leave yout comments and opinions... Thanks you all the comments. I promise that it will be B&B, unless something happen.... ;)

Chapter #11:

That were the last words Brennan heard. She dropped herself into the near couch and tried to calm herself. Five minutes later Angela and Jack sat beside her.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." She said looking depressed towards her friends.

Angela placed her and over her friend's arm and squeezed it gently.

"It's alright, Parker will be fine." She said reassuringly.

"Booth must be mad at me." Brennan said in a low worried voice while her hands covered her face again.

"No Dr. B, he knows that you didn't knew, but I suggest that if you see Parker again, don't ask about Rebecca." Jack told her, looking into Angela's eyes for support.

"What happened?"

"Sweetie, if you really want to know, you must wait for Booth to tell you." Angela stood up from the couch and walked nervously in front of her friend. She was worried about Parker, but it was Booth's mind state that was making her uneasy right now.

"But I want to know." Brennan asked in a demanding voice.

"Dr. B, Booth is more reserved in his personal things than before. If he does not tell you, you have to accept his decision, and wait until he tells you. You need to have patience"

----

Booth arrived at his home as fast as he could. Parker was not crying loud anymore, but he could still fell the tears and the sobs of his son. His heart had been broken in pieces again watching the pain in which his son was. He had given everything in his power just to stop that to happen. In silence he cursed himself for not being able to stop Brennan from asking it. But she did not know. As soon as they arrived, Parker got out of the SUV and ran to the door with the keys in hand. Booth looked sad as his son opened the door and disappeared inside. He took the baby out of the car and headed inside the house with extremely caution for not waking up the currently sleeping baby in his arms.

Once he placed Amelia into her crib, he directed his steps towards Parker's room. He looked inside, but with no luck, he was not there. Then he walked towards his room.

There he was, lying in a ball in the farther corner of the bed. His head was touching his knees. Booth breathed heavily and lay beside his son. His hands cautiously turned the little one to face him and then he hugged his son as both of them started crying again, Parker because of the accident and the loss of his mother still fresh in his memory and Booth, because he had to watch his son suffer for all the things that he was not suppose to live at six years old.

Booth didn't realized when, but he and Parker fell asleep for the rest of the night.

He woke up as he heard Amelia's sounds claiming for his arms. He smiled as he saw the clock 5:00 am.

_Oh Amelia.... You are just mean. Why don't you sleep a little more?_

He thought to himself as he moved his feet towards her room with a grin in his face. As soon as he entered he saw her fully awake, moving her legs and arms around. Booth took her in his arms and after changing her diaper. After this he carried the baby to his room and fed her. He played a little with her, and made her sleep again, he cautiously placed her beside Parker and extracted his laptop from his bag and sat in the chair of his room to work for a while before the kids woke up.

-----

Brennan had not slept that night. The sight of Booth running and hugging his son as he cried uncontrollably over his father's shoulder was haunting her. She was worried about the words that Parker told her as he left.

_She is in heaven_. _She must be dead_. She said to herself. _Booth is more protective about his personal life than before. _

She made mental notes of all the things she discovered about Booth so far.

She wanted... she needed to know what happened to him. She walked towards her desk and opened her laptop. As soon she opened the internet, she started a search about what happened. She found a newspaper note about a car accident a few months ago involving a man, his wife and their two kids. She read the news but the names were not written in the story. She doubted for a minute.

_This can't be Rebecca, she was not married and the last thing I knew about her, she was not seeing anyone and she had only Parker. _

She searched for an hour without any luck. She tried searching for her name in the FBI data base, but her file was protected.

_Booth must have it done. Angela was right, he is very cautious now._

She closed the laptop and breathed heavily. If she wanted to know, she had to wait for him. She only hoped that she did not hurt him so badly that he did not trust her anymore.

------

Parker woke up at seven in the morning. He sat slowly in his father's bed and looked around. At his side, Amelia was sleeping with a few pillows around her. Parker looked at her and a sad smile appeared in his face. He stood up from the bed a got into the bathroom. A few minutes later he decided to leave the room. When he approached the kitchen he saw his father swallowing some pills and then taking his head between his hands.

"Are you ok daddy?" Parker asked worried about him as he hugged his legs.

"Good morning bud. I'm fine, just a little headache. How are you?" Parker didn't answer. Booth took him in his arms. "Let's go out." Said Booth to his son with a smile.

"What about Amelia?" Ask Parker.

Booth put his finger down the pocket of his shorts and Parker saw the walkie-talkie of the baby monitor there.

Booth placed Parker in his lap as he took a seat in the terrace. The child hugged him with his arms.

"I miss her." Finally, admitted Parker with a low voice that carried all the pain that his little heart had.

"I know, I miss her too." Booth's voice was only a whisper. He rubbed small circles on his son's back, trying to calm the nervous and sad boy in his legs.

"You do?" Parker looked at his father with an amused look.

"Yes, I did. She was my friend, and I am grateful that she gave me the best thing in my life."

"And what is it daddy?"

"You Parker, she gave me the best gift a person could receive. A son."

"And she gave you Amelia too."

"Yes, she gave us Amelia, and a part of her life inside both of you. I can still see her in both of you. A part of her lives inside."

"But I want her here with me."

"I know that buddy, but God gave us her for a little while. God needed her in heaven, and she is looking for both of you from there."

Parker remained in silence a few minutes. Booth understood that he must had been analyzing his words and waited for him patiently.

"Daddy, what are we going to do today?"

Booth smiled at his soon. "What do you want to do?"

"Can we go to the zoo?"

Booth looked at his son amazed. He had thought about taking the boy to the zoo for a while until now, but he realized that a trip to the zoo when Rebecca died, and he was not willing to hurt his son.

"Or we can go to the museum. I will love to see the dinosaurs."

"Ok, well, you decide. We can go one today, and the other the next week. Are you fine with it?"

"Yes daddy."

Booth kissed his son's head and rushed him inside the house to get ready. Usually in Saturdays they ate breakfast at the Diner. Booth took his phone and called his office, to check if he had any important messages in his phone. After hearing the message he walked in the house as he heard the low cry of Amelia.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Parker decided to go to the zoo this weekend when they sat at the Diner. Booth was not hungry and watched as his son ate his breakfast. Parker was surprised for not seeing it father eating. After Parker finished his breakfast the three of them got into the SUV and directed themselves to the Zoo. The day was fresh so they walked entirely through the zoo. Booth smiled at his son when he saw the big smile in his face when he called the animals and described them for Amelia. Booth took a lot of pictures of both kids during the day. He seemed so calm with them around that his migraine had almost dissipated and his body ache for excess of work and lack of rest, disappeared.

By the time they returned home, it was almost five in the afternoon. Both kids were sleeping in the backseat. He turned off the engine and opened the door. First he took Parker and got him to his room and then returned for Amelia and did the same. When he placed the baby in her bed, she opened her eyes. Booth smiled.

"Now young lady, its time for a bath."


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I had been having trobles with my computer she was not helping me with the posting. Also, i lost my pen drive with all the chapters of this story so i'm quite neurotic right now.

Here is the next chapter. As always hope you like it. I really enjoy torturing Brennan for an instance. Please, comments are well received. LOL ;-)

Chapter #12:

Since Agent Jackson was on vacation leave, Booth assumed, temporarily, the position of Liaison for three weeks. He was not trilled about it, but he gave his word to the squints and the Bureau and he needed to do it. During the first two weeks he didn't have any case, so they have not seen each other since Angela's birthday party, a month ago. The Jeffersonian had two difficult cases that made her very busy and Booth had a few loose ends to be resolved in the office.

He was sitting in his office when a call changed all his plans.

"Booth."

"Sir, we have a case and the service of Dr. Brennan will be required." Said Charlie over the phone in a nervous voice.

"Where'" Booth wrote down the address and called her.

"Brennan."

He breathed calmly and closed his eyes before answering her.

"Dr. Brennan, it's Booth. I received a call for a case. They recall your service." Booth waited for her answer as he passed a hand over his face.

Brennan felt sad by hearing his voice; it was calm, but cold. She missed him madly.

"Alright, I will finish a report and be ready in ten minutes." She answered, finally breaking the unwanted silence in the line.

"Dr. Brennan, I have a meeting in five minutes, I can't pick you up, so I suggest you can arrive earlier or I will send someone to pick you up." He replied, rapidly, with a grim face.

She sighed deeply. She wanted to see him and ride to the scene together. She had been waiting for a case to arrive for the past two weeks.

_He seems to be occupied or he doesn't want to be alone with me._

"It's ok, I'll drive myself." She sighed and wrote down the address.

Booth did not have any meeting, but he couldn't pick her up at the lab and drive with her to the crime scene. She would be asking questions that he didn't want answer. So he preferred to wait a little longer in his office and solve a few minor situations and then drive to the crime scene.

When he arrived she was already there.

_She looks the same as always, the blue overall and her hair in a ponytail. _

A sad smile appeared in his lips at the memory of what could have been if she had decided to stay instead of going to Egypt.

He walked to the police officer when she spotted him.

_He looks so handsome. The new position did him well._ _He seems more tired than before and more serious in his cloth choices but he is fine. _She though, as Booth talked with almost every police and fireman he saw, in a cheerful way.

She heard a conversation at her side and understood all the excitement at his arrival. He had been off the field work now for ten months, today was the first time that they saw him in a long time. By the time he was able to get to her side, she was ordering the officer to take the body and the surrounding material to the lab.

"Good afternoon sir." Said Brennan, not knowing what to call him anymore. The other agents in the scene called him Sir or Director Booth.

"Dr. Brennan, you don't need to call me like that, you can call me Booth, like always." He said tapping the notepad on his hand with his pen.

"Then you can call me Bones." She replied with a smile on her lips, looking directly to his eyes.

"I don't think so, it's disrespectful to you, and you don't like when I call you like that, so I will stick to Dr. Brennan. Well, what do we have here?"

The smile was brutally ripped out of her lips as soon as the little hope she had disappeared. _This will be more difficult than I thought._

Brennan sighed heavily and decided to direct her attention to the case.

"Male, 35 to 40 years old. COD undetermined. The body had been in here for at least two weeks, but it seems that he has been dead for 4 to 5 months. I will take the body to the Jeffersonian and have a full report by tomorrow morning."

"That will be great." Booth was about to tell her something when his phone rang.

"Booth." He answered and returned his notepad to the inner pocket of his suit.

"Sir, this is May, we got a situation here."

"What happened?"

"I got a call from the Secret Service and they want to talk with you right away."

"Fine, pass the call to my phone, I will talk with them, and calm yourself May."

A few seconds later...

"Booth."

"Sir, this is Ramirez from the Secret Service, we did an official request for some of your agents for a special operation that will take place in two weeks, and still we have not received the approval."

"I'm aware of that, but as I told the Deputy Director of The Secret Service a few weeks ago, I need the information regarding the operation to assign the right agent. As soon as I receive the information I will assign the agents." Booth's voice remained calm but his facial expression was changing while the conversation went on.

"This is a secret operation, I can't give you the information, you are not allowed." Replied the men on the phone with a cocky voice.

"Excuse me, I have been a military myself, I know what a secret operation means, but in this case, you are not talking about military, you are talking about civilian officers, so if you want the agents assigned to you, I need the information. If I don't receive the information in a week, I will call your boss and tell him that you are not cooperating with the FBI."

After a few silent seconds the man spoke.

"I will send you the information you need during the next two days."

"That's what I thought; I will send the list in three days after I receive the information."

Booth closed his phone obviously mad and passed a hand over the back of the head.

"I hate working with the secret service, I really do. They give me a migraine each time I have to deal with them."

Brennan smiled at him as he grabbed her hand to help her stand up as he saw her struggle. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I need to get going, when you have something call me, ok?" Booth said and walked towards the SUV.

"Sure, I will."

Before he left he looked at his watch and turned to face her while walking backwards. "Dr. Brennan, you may want to eat something, it's almost two in the afternoon."

He turned again and smiled to himself while he opened the SUV door and stepped inside.

She laughed then.

_How does he know? _ She had driven directly from the Jeffersonian without eating anything at all.


	13. Chapter 13

As promise, here is the next chapter. I'm working in the fluffy part of the history, so patience you all. Thanks for your comments, it really help me to continue writting the history. Special thanks for Monisse who is helping me with all this adventure. Thanks a lot.... ;-)

Chapter 13:

The case was developing slowly much to Booth's luck. That meant that he wouldn't be seeing her. They usually talked on the phone regarding the case, but at least she gave him space without questioning anything from the past year.

Booth met the squints at the platform at the end of the week, to inform them that in the next week Jackson would be returning to his duties, and he would continue with the case. All of them were happy to see him there. After the meeting, he asked to talk to Angela in private.

"What's up Booth?" Angela asked while she sat in her office chair.

"Ange, I need a big favor from you." Booth pass his hand over the back of his head.

"Yes." Ange smiled at his expression.

"Angela I haven't asked you anything yet." His eyes rolled in his head and she smiled while her head move sideways.

"Well, whatever it is my answer is yes."

"Ange I need you to take care of the kids for a few days. I have to get out of the city and I don't think I can take the kids with me."

"Yes, I will move to your house if it's ok with you."

"Of course Ange, I'll leave tomorrow night and I will return in two days. I will take some time for me and the kids when I return from the trip."

"That's nice. Where are you going?"

"Home."

"But, I thought you would travel."

"I will, well I will drive. I'll go to my parents' house. They are asking about Parker and Amelia, so maybe it is a good idea to have some time for them."

"Seeley, you have to live a little. Not all the things circle around the kids." Angela said in a serious worried tone.

He replied in a low voice. "In know that Angela, but at least they don't break my heart."

"I'm so sorry. I know that all of this is difficult for you."

"It's ok. I'm over it by now. Sometimes I wonder if I can find my own happiness, you know."

"Don't be so hard on you."

Angela had developed a great love for Seeley. She understood his suffering and was always by his side since the day she left. She had been with him in every accident of work, or whenever he became sick. Even, Jack and Angela were the first ones he called along with Cullen when Rebecca died. She had seen every tear and every pain he had suffered for the last year.

"I will talk with Rose today when I get home and tell her that you will stay with the kids. Amelia will stay at home. Rose will be picking Parker at school."

"But I can stay with them."

"I know, but I want you to keep your normal life Angela"

"Oh, that will be fine."

"Thanks Ange, for everything."

"Booth, are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just tired, you know? The work, the kids and all of these things are getting me."

"Booth, I don't want to see you sick. You have to take care of yourself."

"Thanks Angela. My parents and my brother had been telling me the same thing for over a month. I promise that I will be fine."

Angela did not believe in Booth. Since he got the kids, he had been keep going all the time without stopping. Angela was scared that something might happen to him. Parker had told her that he had seen his father taking pills almost every morning, and that he did not sleep much. She was going to continue with the conversation but Booth's telephone rang.

"I have to take this, call you later, ok?"

"Yes sweetie"

"Booth."

Brennan had been listening from behind the door of Angela's office. Booth was so concentrated in the phone call that he received that didn't see her. But Angela saw her.

"You can come in sweetie."

"How did you see me?"

"I saw you since we entered the office. "

"What happened with Booth?"

"What do you mean?"

"He is leaving."

"Sometimes he has to travel to overview some missions. This is part of his job. When he was alone he just went away, but since the kids arrived this is the first mission, and he asked me to take care of the kids during that time."

"You alone?"

"They are just kids, no monster, you know? Besides, it's not the first time I take care of them. Usually I send Booth to a day for himself, once in a while, and I take the kids to Jack's. They are really nice children."

Brennan remained in silence watching him leaving the lab. Until now, all the new things she had discovered about him made her wonder if she could find a spot in his heart. She lowered her head and Angela walked to he side hugging her.

"Sweetie, everything happens eventually. Give him the time he need." Brenna looked onto Angela's eyes and see there sincerity. She was smiling back and noted slowly.

"Good, now. What about lunch?" Brennan laugh and let Angela drag her to the outside of the building.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Hi! Here is the daily dose of the story. I love all your comments... Enjoy_**

Chapter #14:

It was Wednesday night and Booth was packing his SUV with the luggage of the three of them. Since it was late January, and the climate was a little cold, he had packed some winter clothes of the kids. They were leaving to his work for a few hours and then they would leave from the bureau to Philadelphia. It was dark outside. He was not able to have a good night sleep since Rebecca's death. He usually rested for about two to three hours at night. Last night, he had returned from his travel. He stood awake all night completing the report for the Bureau about the mission, so he could leave early to his parents' house.

By nine Booth was at his office. At his side, Parker was looking into his portable DVD and Amelia was playing with her toys in the carpet. He was dressed in wash blue jeans with a long sleeve light cream cotton shirt and a cap.

"Daddy, when do we leave?" The boy asked looking at his father.

Booth smiled at his son. "I think that in an hour or so."

"Ok."

"Are you bored Park?" Booth rest the pen rest over the papers he was signing.

"A little."

"Do you want to help me?"

Parker's face was lightened by his smile. As he closed his DVD player and ran to his father's side.

"Ok, well. I need that you put these files in order. Can you do it?"

"Yes daddy."

Booth gave some instructions and placed the files in the coffee table for Parker. Booth smiled as he saw his son putting the files in order.

When he was almost finishing with his work, his phone rang.

"Booth."

"Honey, you're still coming, right?"

"Yes mom, we are coming. In fact, I'm at work finishing some papers and then we're leaving."

"It is that we are happy to see you again."

"I know mom, I see you guys in a few hours." Booth replied with a smile on his faces.

"Bye honey." Booth's mom hanged the phone and looked worried at her husband.

"I don't think he is quite fine as he want us to believe. His voice is sad."

"I know that honey; Jared and Julia think the same. In fact, they are really worried about him. Jared called in the morning and said that he is coming in the night to see him."

"I don't know what happened to him James."

"Angelica, our son had been through so much during the lasts months. I don't think he had let the things go. When we saw him in Rebecca's funeral, he was so calm; there was when I became worried about him. I never saw him cry or yell. I know that he didn't do it in front of Parker, but I don't think that he did it at all. He had been under fire with Rebecca's family because of the adoption of Amelia too. And they are not easy people, you know that."

Booth completed his work by eleven in the morning. He had to stop a few times when Amelia started to cry for food or to change her diaper. But he didn't complain at all.

"Parker, pick up your things, we're leaving." Booth announced to his son as he pick Amelia toys from the floor.

Five minutes later, Booth leaved his office. In his way out he gave his secretary the files.

"May, these files are for Cullen. Please make sure that he receives them ASAP."

"No problem sir."

"I will come back on Monday, if you need anything..."

"I will call you, but only if it is an emergency. I don't want trouble with Cullen, sir. He told everybody that we couldn't call you."

Booth smiled. "Ok, so I see you on Monday."

"Have a nice vacation sir."

"Thanks May."

Parker gave the secretary a kiss and a hug and followed his father toward the elevator.

In the way Booth could feel the looks of the other people in the office following them. May was looking at him sadly. She knew him since he arrived at the bureau for the first time, and it made her sad to see him alone. When he disappeared two secretaries approached May's desk.

"The director is so handsome." The blond woman said in a low happy voice.

"Where is he going?" The other secretary asked at May.

"He is leaving for the weekend. I really don't know where to." May knew where he was going to be, but wouldn't tell anyone beside, she don't like the two young woman standing at her side.

"He looks great in civil clothes. And with the kids."

"He is so cute."

"It's a shame that he is all alone. Maybe I can help with that."

"Good luck ladies."

"What do you mean May? He is single."

"He is single, you are right, but he isn't looking for love. Right now, his all life turns around his kids."

* * *

Inside Booth's SUV:

"Park, are you hungry?" Booth asked while he drove his SUV out of the parking lot.

"Yes daddy. Can we stop at the Diner?" Booth looked at his son smile at the mirror and tilted his head sideways.

"Ok, but first I need to stop by the lab. I need to talk to Angela for a second, and then we can leave." Booth said getting the SUV in to the traffic.

Parker looked outside at the passing buildings. "Daddy, why don't you talk with Bones anymore?" He asked simply.


	15. Chapter 15

**_And here is the answer to Parker question..._**

Chapter #15:

Booth move uncomfortable on the driver seat thinking in what to respond to his son. "What?" He ask trying to gain more time to form a answer to Parker.

"You used to talk with Bones a lot, almost every day. Even you to see each other on weekends but now you don't talk with her. Are you mad at her?" Parker fixed his sight on his daddy head waiting for an answer.

Booth smiled sadly. "Park, I'm not mad at her. How can I be mad at her, she is... she was..." Booth had been taking by surprise with that question. P_arker is expending too much time with Angela._ He thought for himself and smiled. He knew that his son want an answered and he deserve the truth, but how can he explained all this to him. Booth breath heavily again. "I'm not mad at her Parker, I'm mad with me." He finally admitted to his son with defeated sight. a

"But why?." Booth smiled at the sincerity in his son voice. "You are really a great guy daddy. You should not be mad at yourself"

"Thanks Parker, but sometimes we make mistakes that affect others, and well, we have to deal with the consequences." Booth replied while he waited for the light to change to green.

"But you still like her, don't you?" Parker asked timidly at his father. He had been wondering why his father don't see Bones as he used to.

After a few seconds Booth responded to his son as simply as he could. He had to be sincere with him. "Yes bud, I like her. But things between us are not the same and I doubt it well be that way again."

Booth saw his son thinking and smiled sadly. "Hey Park, can you call Angela for me?"

"Yes daddy." Parker smiled as he picked his own cell phone from his bag and called Angela.

Jack, Brennan and Angela had decided to go to the diner together before their interdepartmental meeting after lunch. Angela was talking with Jack when her cell started to ring. Brennan looked at her quizzically when the Spiderman theme song started to sound.

"Ange, what is that sound?" Brennan asked at the ringtone looking puzzled.

"Its Parker, he made Angela change his ringtone for him." Jack whispered to Brennan whit a funny grimace.

"Oh." She replied simply looking at Angela.

"Hi Parker." Ange said lovely.

"Hi aunty Ange. Daddy wanted to talk with you." Park said before handling the phone to his dad.

"Ok, I'll wait."

"Park, ask Angela if we can meet her at the lab in 5 minutes." Booth replied at his son.

Parker noted and talk again in his phone. "Daddy wants to know if we can see you in the lab?"

"I'm at the Diner. If you want you can come here." Angela looked at the facial expression on Brennan and gave her a little smile.

"Daddy, Ange said that she is in the Diner." Parker said without taking his phone from the ear.

"Ok, tell her to wait there for me." Booth smile as his son work as a bridge of communication between Angela and him.

"Wait there aunty." He said happily.

"Yes, we'll wait for you. Bye."

"I didn't know that Parker had a cell phone." Asked Temperance amused as Angela close her phone and put it again over the table.

"When Booth got Parker, he bought a cell phone for him. He wanted to be able to find his son always and Parker can always reach him no matter what, and he has all the emergency numbers in it, including us."

"Oh, it's logical." Brennan replied. She thought if her number was in Parker's phone as well.For a second she was jealous at the relationship her friends got with Booth and his children.

Ten minutes later, Booth opened the Diner's door, letting in a very happy Parker that ran at full speed into Angela's arms.

"Aunty Ange." The boy yelled as he saw them sitting on the usual table.

"Hi sweetie. Are you behaving with daddy?"

"Like always." Parker said with a innocent looking that made Angela laught. "Hi uncle Jack. Hi Dr. Bones." Parker gave them a kiss and a hug.

Booth walked to the table carrying Amelia in his arms.

"Hi guys." Booth said simply moving the baby over his left shoulder.

"Hi Booth. Do you want to seat with us?" Ange ask moving to her side making space for them.

"Don't worry, we can have another table, I just want to give you and Jack the new set of keys of the house. I finished the change of the door locks last night and I want to give you the new ones, so you can check the house for me." Booth handled the new set of keys on Jack hands.

"We will Seeley." Booth noted.

"Thanks again, both of you, for everything." Brennan looked at the sincerity on his words and felt left aside on the conversation, knowing that she was not there helping him when he need her.

"No problem man, and please have a good time there and please, rest. You look tired man." Jack said as he put the keys on his jacket pocket.

"I will, well Parker let's get a table so you can eat."

"Hey Booth, when are you leaving for the training? It's just so I can remember."

"It's in two weeks, but if you have a problem I can just let the kids with my parents and pick them up later."

"Don't be silly, it's a pleasure. I was just asking to make sure I got the right date."

"I'm serious; if you can't take them I'll..."

"Booth, it's fine with us. I love having Parker with me, and Angela loves having her girly time with Amelia, so that's ok."

"Thanks. Parker let's sit. Have a nice weekend all of you."

Parker nodded to his father and after giving kisses and hugs to the squints he followed his father to a table in the other end of the restaurant. Brennan looked at him with sadness, during all the conversation she felt left aside and ignored. He hadn't even exchanged a word with her, just a general hello. He gave Angela the keys and left, without looking back at her.

**_Well, hope you like it. Please, any comment or reply is welcome._**

**_Thanks to Monisse for the help editing the story. ;-)_**

**_Mendenbar: It will be nice to let the two of them like friends, i will think about it. THanks for the idea ;-)_**


	16. Chapter 16

**_Ok, here is the daily dose of the story. As always, please reply ;-) ;-)_**

**_Sorry if i'm making it slow, that was not my intention, but in my defense, here is the first step between them._**

**_LOL_**

Chapter 16:

Brennan had been lost in thought since Booth left the dinner with the kids a few hours earlier. During all the meeting, her mind went back in time to the days when both of them worked together and a sad smile appeared in her lips. She searched in the upper drawer of her office desk and found a picture of them in their Halloween costume. A sad grin replaced the little smile in her face.

"Bren, what is happening in that racing mind of yours?" Angela asked as she spotted Brennan looking absently to the space in front of her while her hands held the photo frame.

"What... nothing!" She replied returning to reality.

"Uh, hmm! And I'm Cleopatra, I know you Bren, you were quiet for almost 10 minutes looking to that couch.... You miss him, right?"

Brennan thought fast in what to say...

_I should lie to her... but, she can always read me..._

"Yes...I never thought that I was going to regret my decision about going to Egypt, but I do."

Angela could see the pain in her friend's face.

"Tempe..." Angela took her friend's hands in between hers. "I know that you are sorry about your decision, I really do, but you must understand that every decision we take has an effect in our lives. We all told you what you were going to loose if you made that trip, you just didn't hear us. Now you are paying the price of that decision." Angela said in a low voice.

"I know you were right, but I'm paying a high price for my decision, and that's not fair." Brennan removed her hands from Angela's and looked into the door frame hoping for him to enter into the office.

"Sweetie, life is not fair. You must know that by now. But you too have to think if your leaving was fair for us, for him" Angela said honestly.

"I guess so." Brennan sat quiet for a few minutes more.

"I miss him, you know? I know that it is illogical to miss something that you don't have, but I miss him." She finally admitted to her friend while a lonely tear ran down her face.

"You had it, but you were too stubborn to hold it. You preferred to be in a safe place than take a chance with him, and now you are regretting it." Angela decided to be honest with her friend.

"I know that. I know that you told me that you wouldn't tell me anything about him, but is he seeing someone?"

Angela laughed. "Are you kidding me? I tried to get him to see other people, but it only worked for two months." Angela said a little disappointed with herself.

"You did what?" Brennan said admired.

"He was such a wreck when you left. So Jack and I decided to set some blind dates, and after two, he decided to get along with women that he knew." Angela replied to Brennan, felling that she had to apologize for something that she had done.

"Did that work?" Brennan asked, smiling at the worried voice of Angela.

"I guess not. I never saw him with any of them." Angela relaxed at the smile on Brennan's face.

"And the kids?"

"He didn't had them in that time. But if he wanted to go out now, he would leave them with Rose until he came back. Usually he does not date until very late."

"Oh!" Angela saw some sparkle in Brennan's eyes.

"Do you want to date him?"

"Technically, yes, but I don't know if he wants to see me. I hurt him badly."

"Yes you did, but I guess that this time you have to break down the walls that he built around himself, like he broke down yours a long time ago."

"But I don't think he will accept to go on a date with me."

"Believe me, he will."

"Why are you so sure of it?"

"He introduced you to Amelia in the FBI." Angela was about to leave Brennan's office but stopped. "When I arranged my birthday dinner, I told him that you were going. I did, because he is very jealous of the people that surround his kids, he didn't protest. He still likes you Bren, he likes your company, you just have to teach him how to love and trust again."

Brennan saw Angela leaving the office, and sat back in the couch. Her right arm covered her eyes.

_And how do I do that? _She thought to herself.

* * *

During the weekend he spent with his family, they tried to take charge of the kids to let Booth rest, but both kids were extremely attached to him. Amelia did not sleep if he was not near, and Parker decided to not let his father alone if he could avoid it. So when Booth returned to work, he was looked more tired than before.

Cullen had to go for a job trip to California and Booth took his role as Deputy Director for the duration of the trip. With all the work he had, he was a little light headed during the past few days; situation that did not pass unnoticed by his secretary, who had to remind him, constantly, to eat.

He sat in his office reviewing his waiting pile of pending jobs at his desk when he received a call from May reminding him of meeting in five minutes. He picked up the files and searched into the second drawer of his desk for a small prescription bottle. He retrieved two pills and drank them with the cold coffee in his cup. Then he stood up and walked with a few files in hand to the meeting.

_I need to have a CT scan, these migraines are killing me slowly._

He thought to himself as he passed a hand over his head stopping over his temples, making slight pressure on them.

It took 10 minutes to arrive to the meeting office because of all the interruptions he got in the way. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. When he finally calmed down enough he opened his eyes and the door.

"Good morning, sorry for the waiting." He said to the group of people sitting in the conference room. He stopped and gave a small kiss to Angela who smiled and patted his hand.

"Well, now that we are all here, can we start?" Caroline said in her normal teasing voice.

"Sorry, Caroline." Booth said as he took his chair at the head of the table and looked around him.

"It's ok Cherrie, it's not always that you have been appointed as Deputy Director of the FBI." She said in a teasing tone that made the squints laugh as Booth's face became red.

"Caroline it's just for a week, so stop with the teasing." Booth let escape a deep sigh. Caroline had been teasing him during all week about the position.

"Ok then, but let me tell you, you are making a great job in here." She said padding his shoulder and giving him a warm smile.

"Thanks, it's good that Cullen returns the day after tomorrow." Booth replied while he opened the file in front of him. "Can we start?"

After an hour of meeting in which they had to discuss the final details of an upcoming murder trial, it was time to lunch. Booth was able to decline all the invitations for lunch he got from the squints, until she approached him alone. She stood in front of him smiling with sadness.

"How are you Dr. Brennan?" He asked while holding the file on his chest with both arms cross over it.

She lowered her eyes to the floor so he couldn't see the sadness on them. "Fine, and you?"

"I can't be better." He lied, and she noticed it without seeing his face.

"The kids?" She lifted her face and looked directly into his eyes.

"Fine, thanks for asking." And then she saw the genuine smile that his kids brought to him.

"I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with me?"


	17. Chapter 17

**_I'm so sorry for the delay of this chapter. As always, hope you like it. And thanks for your comments.!!!_**

Chapter #17:

Booth was taken by surprise. He was not planning to have lunch, as he had been since he returned from vacation, but he looked into her eyes and saw that her intentions were genuine and gave her a small smile.

He lifted the file on his hands.

"Let me leave this in my office and we can go, if that's ok with you?" He said with a little contentment in his voice.

"Sure. I'll wait for you in the lobby." She said as she turned to the elevator.

"You can come with me Dr. Brennan." She smiled. He still called her Dr. Brennan, but at least he accepted to have lunch with her. Both of them walked towards his office in silence, making the secretaries and other agents turn to stare. It was not a secret that something had existed between the two of them in the past.

She waited by the door of his office for him, and then both exited in silence once more. Before he entered the elevator, he turned to his office partners and smiled at them.

"Don't you all have anything more to do than looking at us? Because I have a lot of paperwork in my office that I can give to you if you all need a little more work."

Brennan smiled and saw all the employees get into their seats and start working again. Booth entered the elevator with her and smiled.

"Sorry for that." He said rapidly as soon as the elevator door closed in front of them.

"Don't worry, I found it quite funny actually." She replied in her characteristically soft voice.

Both of them smiled.

"Where do you want to go, Sir?" She smiled as she saw the face he gave her. "Ok, Booth..."

"I don't know, I'm not that hungry actually, so if you want a salad we can go to a little cafe near the building. What do you think?" He offered sincerely.

"That would be nice." She accepted gratefully while both of them walked out of the elevator.

She missed his hand at the small of her back, but at least he was near. Booth led the way into a nice small cafe that was around the building. He knew the place because he used to stop there for a coffee each morning. The cafe was quite small from the outside, but once inside, it was comfortable and spacious. Booth picked a table in the back outside of the place. Brennan was amazed by the four little tables were placed in the terrace outside. It seemed that they were in a small Parisian cafe. Once they ordered their meals, she decided to talk.

"This place is beautiful Booth. I didn't know it was here." She admitted to him while she looked at her surrounding, capturing all the details on the walls.

"It's quite new; I think it's been here for a year or so. I discovered it by accident. Once I wanted a coffee and I stopped here. I like the atmosphere of the place. It's quite relaxing." Booth replied looking to his hands.

"You are right." She said while her eyes finally stopped in the man sitting across the table.

"Dr. Brennan, how are you?" He asked finally.

"I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed with the amount of changes that had happen in a year." She said casually, while her eyes roamed around the place once more.

"I know. It takes little time to turn your life around." Brennan saw the sadness in his voice and immediately changed subjects.

"I noticed that you are leaving soon for training?" She decided to ask something on a secure ground. Angela had told her that he would be having training in a few weeks.

"Yes, I leave on Friday and hope to be back around Monday." He said letting a tired sigh escape from his lips.

"May I ask what the training is about?" Booth smiled as she asked her questions in a polite way. He liked this, talking again with her without all the bickering. Just being Seeley and Temperance.

"A little less than a year ago I was promoted to the head of the crime division. Since then I have to send agents into undercover missions. I arrange for them to receive a training session in the military way. For me it's safer if they know how to survive if the mission gets wrong." Booth said and his eyes crossed with hers and he gave a small smile.

"But that's new!" She said pleased. The lunch arrived, and Brennan noticed that he was only having coffee and a fruit salad.

"Yes, I talked with Cullen after I got the position, and he thought it was a good idea. We contacted the government office, and they agreed. So twice a year we send a group of agents into a military base to have a weekend training of survival 101. I have to say it's quite popular into my agents." Booth replied before putting some strawberries and pineapples on his mouth.

"I think it is. But since you are not in field work anymore, why you have to go?"  
Booth smiled at her question. He was completely sure of that she had a lot of questions, but she was extremely cautious at asking them.

"Well, I decided to go to monitor my employees. This is my way to see if they will survive in a high risk situation or which agent I would send for specific missions."

She nodded and smiled at him while she returned her attention towards the salad in front of her.

"This salad was great." She admitted a few minutes later as she finished her lunch.

"I usually order one too." He said.

"You order a salad?" She placed her glad of water on the table and looked at him mesmerized.

"Sometimes, when I am hungry and I don't want to get out of the building. As a matter of fact usually I just can't get out of the office." He admitted with a smile on his face while looking into his half filled fruit salad bowl. Brennan looked at him suspiciously. He had lost some weight, and seemed more pale that usual.

"I have to go, Dr. Brennan." Booth said as he looked at his watch and searched into his pocket. She saw him paying for the meal.

"I was going to pay for it." She said as soon as he left some bills on the table.

"Let me, just to remember the old times, ok?" He stood up and waited for her.

Both of them exited the cafe smiling. Booth accompanied her to her car and then he returned to his office. Once in there, he sat into his chair and smiled widely.

_Oh God, how much I miss her. But that just can't be, she does not love me anymore and she made that clear._

Brennan was in her car and thought about the lunch.

_I really miss his company. I still feel safe with him. I hope it is not too late to pick up the pieces of his heart._

----

Brennan was lying on the couch of her office. She had returned to the lab after a 16 hour work day. She was having trouble to sleep at night, so she came back to her office and lay on her couch and immediately was invaded by tormented thoughts. She rested her forearm over her eyes and closed them. She knew that things were not going to be the same as before, she had left him for her work, but she never imagined how different it would be once she came back.

She had imagined that Booth would be waiting for her, or at least he would still be working as a liaison, but she had been wrong. He decided to grab his life back instead of waiting patiently for her. She could not blame him, as he told her that night, he had spent years waiting for her and she had let him go.

She spent near an hour regretting on her decision, when she remembered seeing photo album that Angela was making for Booth. Brennan rose from the couch and walked into Angela's office. She looked into the desk drawers and found it very quickly. It was a beautiful album for Booth as a gift. Brennan hugged the album and walked towards the second floor area taking with her the album and a manila folder that contained several photos that Angela hadn't put on the album yet.

Brennan sat on the couch and let out a deep sigh, opening the book. She smiled broadly as the first photo appeared. It was he and the kids standing in front of a park. Over the photo she read "_My family"_.

She passed her hand over the photo and a tear ran down her face.

_How much I have missed of his life._

She passed the pages over and over again trying to control the tears that she had repressed for so long. She saw, with sadness overwhelming in her chest, many photos of the kids alone or with him, even with the _squints_ and even with Cullen and his wife.

_I was the only one missing on this._

She reminded herself, cursing for the first time, that she was not there when the photos were taken, and now she realized that she had missed more of his life than she originally thought.

When she finished seeing the photos she pressed the book against her chest and cried. Cried for something that she had never thought she would. This time was not her who was left behind; it was she the one that had left them. And she realized that she couldn't recover the time while she was gone, but she could try to fit in his new life. She was determined to do it.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

It was Thursday, and Booth was preparing to leave his office. He made sure that all the important issues were solved until his return on Monday. He had received a phone call from Cullen who wanted to have a meeting with him prior to his leaving. Booth took a quick glance to his office and closed the door behind him. He said goodbye to his secretary and directed himself towards Cullen's office. He knocked lightly at the door.

"Come in Booth." Said Cullen as soon as he saw the man standing over the door frame.

"I'm here Sir." Replied Booth to his boss.

"Have a sit." Cullen waited until Booth sat in front of him. "First I want to thank you. I have my special informants in the office and all of them told me that you have done an excellent job in my absent. So thank you."

"It was my pleasure. I have to admit that I was killing my self with all the paper work, but it was a great experience." Booth moved a little on the chair.

"Sometimes the paper work is worst that field work, but it's safer." Cullen admitted to Booth with a smile on his face.

"That's right." Replied Booth while he nodded with his head.

"Ok, I know that this will sound strange, but we were invited to a friendly game of ice hockey in a few months. It's against the DC police department. I was wondering if you could form the team since you love ice hockey."

"That will be nice." Booth admitted with a huge grin on his face.

"Another thing, I suggest that you don't play this time." Booth jaw fell to the floor as soon as he heard the words.

"Why?" He asked in disbelief.

"Do you remember Sgt. Rios?" Booth nodded. "He still plays in the team, and the last time you two played against each other, you almost ended up in the hospital with some broken ribs. I don't want to have you on medial leave." Cullen said remembering how the man attacked Booth on a corner of the ring and hit him on his left side with the stick, and then a few minutes later, knocked him on the ice as he fell over him.

"I don't think something like that will ever happen, and besides, I won't loose the opportunity to play against that jerk." Booth said happily, already forgetting about the previous game.

"That's your decision Booth. I need you to update your emergency information. Since you are leaving to training, I need to know who we are going to call if something happens." Cullen opened his file and pulled out the current information and gave the paper to Booth.

"What?" He asked looking into the paper he filled near 4 years earlier.

"Booth, let's get real. I ordered you to have a medical release to be able to go into the training and you mysteriously forgot to have one. Since I can't forbid you to go, not that I'm really pleased that you are going, I have a really bad feeling about this, so I want to know who to call if something happens. Besides, you look sick." Cullen told Booth looking directly into his eyes while his arms crossed over the file on his desk.

"I don't want to change it." Booth replied lowering his face.

"But I think..." Cullen said puzzled about his agent's decision.

"Sir, I know, but I trust her. If something happened, I want her to make the decisions for me if I'm unconscious or unable to make my own choices. I have made arrangements for the kids already. My parents know this." Booth still looked to the floor unable to resist Cullen's looks.

Cullen was amazed. He was wondering if his agent would someday find the happiness he deserved. Both men remained talking for a while until it was time for Booth to leave. After a hand shake Booth exited the room. Once in the outside, Booth took a paper from the inner pocket of his suit. He opened it and read it. It was the medical release for his training leave. In big red ink is could be read _Denied._ Booth had read the paper a lot of times since he had it two days ago. The doctor that checked him ordered him to rest and to take care of himself for a while, the diagnosis for him, anemia and viral infection. He returned the paper to the inside of his pocket and walked to the first floor to pick up Amelia.

----------

Booth was now in the Army base surrounded by 10 of his agents, all of them received instructions of how the training was going to be. The agents looked amazed at first when they saw Booth into fatigue clothes. It was not a secret that he once was a ranger, but seeing him in his former clothes, made them realize his background in the military area, also made them look at him with more respect and admiration. Booth waited a non physical training like the last time, but since all of the agents had taken the first course, the army instructor changed their plans. They would go to field training. Booth became worried. He knew his medical situation, and he realized that he was not in a good condition to resist a long training in the field, but he wouldn't go back now.

Booth did not resist the training, and by Saturday morning he decided to return to his home since he had no requirement completing it. He decided to take a quick stop at the base infirmary to get something for the viral infection and then he left. He was grateful that the base in which the training was taking place close from his house.

--------------

Brennan was talking with Angela. Booth had picked up the kids a few hours ago, and Angela invited Brennan to have dinner with her, since Jack was out of the city. They were sitting near the pool in a wood table eating chocolate covered strawberries and drinking wine.

"Booth was not supposed to return only on Monday?" Asked Brennan in a casual tone.

"Yes, but he told me that he had finished his evaluation report, so he decided to return home earlier." Angela replied taking a bite of a strawberry. "But I think that there is something more that he didn't tell me."

Brennan became interested. "And what would that be?"

"I think he is sick. But he won't admit it, so we have to wait."

Brennan became worried in an instance. In the time she knew him, she couldn't remember a time he was sick, or at least complain of pain, not even when he had been hurt badly.

Angela decided to change the topic of the conversation when she saw the anxiety in her friend.

"Bren, have you decided what to do with Booth?"

"No Ange. I'm still worried." Brennan took a sip from her wine and looked to Angela.

"Sweetie, I know that this is a new situation for you. You are always the head person, but right now, you need to be a heart person. You can't allow yourself to loose him, to let him get away." Angela took Brennan's hands in hers.

"Ange, he is so different. He is not the same." Brennan let a tear ran down her cheeks.

"Bren, he still is the same man that you fell in love with. But he had suffered a lot since you left, and he built walls to prevent to be hurt again. You need to find the real Booth inside of him."

"But I don't now what to do." Brennan admitted.

"As much as I want to help you with this sweetie, this is something you need to realize for yourself. The only advice I can give to you, is to know him again. Give yourself the opportunity of discover the new him."

Brennan saw Angela walk away towards the house, leaving Brennan with her thoughts and confusion. Brennan moved into one of the empty pool side chaise lounge and lay there. She rested the right arm over her eyes.

_Oh God help me!_

-o0o-o0o -o0o -o0o -o0o -o0o -o0o -o0o -o0o

Thanks for the comments!!!

To Monisse, thanks a lot for your patience edditing the story..


	19. Chapter 19

I made a huge mistake while posting the past chapter. I mistaken put other chapter. So i alrady chante it for the correct one. I;m so so sorry for the mistake. Pleases, forgive, as a present i think you will like this little chapter with fluff on it...

**_Chapter # 19:_**

It was Saturday and Brennan was going to the lab. She was going to id another WWII soldier, and decided to grab something for lunch and a quick breakfast before going to the lab. When she entered the Diner, she spotted Parker smiling at her. She smiled back at him while the kid ran into her and gave her a big hug. She was scared that he did not like her anymore, thinking in what happened the last time she saw him.

"Dr. Bones!" Yelled an exited Parker as he hugged Brennan's waist.

"Parker, how are you? Brennan took the boy into her arms happily.  
"I'm fine. We are having breakfast, do you want to sit with us?" asked Parker smiling.

_He definitely has inherited his father's smile. How can I say no?_

"Only if it's alright with your dad." Brennan was happy that obviously Parker didn't hate her, and put the kid on the floor again.

"He will say yes." Brennan felt a little hand pulling her towards the table, and saw the amused face the kid's father had. He gave her a timid smile.

"Hey daddy, can Dr. Bones sit with us?" Parker asked his dad.

Booth looked into his son's face and saw the excitement there. "Sure."

"Thanks."

"No problem." Booth said as Brennan sat and smiled at him. Booth continued making funny noises to the baby just to make her laugh.

Brennan ordered his breakfast and started talking with Parker, while Booth looked at them sadly.

"Bones, will you go with us to the museum?" Parker asked suddenly. Booth didn't move his eyes from the baby. He had been waiting for this since Parker dragged her into the table.

"Well, I don't..." Brennan started nervously.

"Daddy, will you ask her? I don't think she wants to go with us." Parker said pouting with a sad face.

Booth smiled at his son. "I will try Park, but I always think that you have more power for these things than I do." Booth said while he placed Amelia over his shoulder and ribbed her back.

Brennan remained in silence, but a smile appeared in her lips. "Dr. Brennan, will you go with us to the museum?"

She spotted a quick smile in his lips and smiled fully at him. "I will be honored to go with you!"

Booth paid for the breakfast and was picking up their things when Parker handled him a glass of water and smiled. Brennan looked at the exchange of glances between them and smiled as Booth reached into the inside pocket of his jacket for a pill case and extracted three. "Thanks bud." Booth said while he stroked his son's hair and drank the pills.

Booth was carrying Amelia, and now Brennan was carrying her diaper bag while leaving the dinner. Booth stopped at the side of a white SUV that Brennan had never seen before. She looked strangely as Booth opened the car with a control beeper and opened the door for Parker.

"Booth, the standard FBI issue vehicle were not supposed to be black?" Asked her referring to the SUV.

"Oh, yeah, but this one is mine." Booth said smiling at the puzzled look in her face. Finally she smiled and sighed. Booth placed Amelia in her car seat and Brennan helped Parker get into the back seat.

She left to get into her car when Booth stopped her. "You can run with us if you want."

"That won't be a problem with you?" She said timidly looking into her hands.

"Not at all, besides Parker would love it." Bones wanted to hear that he was the one that would love to have her with him, but at least he was open enough to let her be by his kid's side. He opened the door for her and then closed it. Then he entered the driver's seat and turned the ignition.

Booth was almost giggling at her nervousness. Parker was "talking" with Amelia. Then Brennan decided to talk.

"Booth, are you ok?" She asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Why are you asking?" He was sure that she noticed the pills on the breakfast.

"I saw you taking pills this morning at the table."

"Ah, that. I had a minor anemia and my migraines are pretty bad these days. That was the motive for the pills."

"But you went to an specialist, right?"

"Sort of, I had a physical exam two weeks ago for a medical clearance and the test showed the anemia and a virus, so I had to take medicine for that." He said simply.

"You must have a CT Scan for the migraine. Did you have it?" She said in a tone of voice that it was more of an order than a suggestion.

"No, I have been short of time. If they don't get better, I will have one." He said smiling while he looked to the kids in the back seat.

The rest of the travel to the museum was quiet, Brennan wanted to ask him a lot of questions, but was aware of the caution in answers, she would wait patiently. Once they arrived at the museum, Booth got out of the SUV and opened the trunk.

"Dr. Brennan, could you take Amelia out of the car seat?"

He smiled at the change of her calm face into a worried one. "She won't bite you, she has a bad temper sometimes, but she is a good girl." Brennan smiled and nodded.

She opened the door and took Amelia out of the car seat. She was waiting the girl's scream, but instead, the baby just looked at her and grabbed her nose. Brennan smiled at her. Booth looked at them amazed.

_I have to add Bones to the list of ladies which Amelia likes. She is such a traitor._

Booth explained to Brennan how to strap Amelia into the stroller while he helped Parker with his backpack. Once they were set, she spotted two men near them, looking towards them and she asked Booth about it.

"Don't worry Dr. Brennan, those are FBI agents."

"But what are they doing?"

"They are my security."

"Your security?"

"As you know by now I'm the Director of Field Operations so the Bureau signed me some protection against some not so happy people."

"But I thought that you were the Director of Crime Division."

"Yes, Dr. Brennan, that too, the official name of the post is Director of Crime Division and Field Operation"

"Oh, I didn't know."

"Well, the truth is that they joined two posts in one, Government restructuration."

"I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. I guess the best part of this is that I have more time to be with the kids, and I have a regular schedule, so Parker was happy, and I'm happy."

"Dr. Bones, can we go first to the Dinosaurs?" Asked an exited Parker. Booth smiled at her.

"Sure Parker, first stop the Dinosaur exhibition!"

She grabbed Parker's hand and Booth was at Parker side with Amelia in the stroller. Behind them, the two agents smiled at the scene, and followed them from far behind.

Booth had to admit that the trip to the Museum was better with her there. She could answer Parker's questions about everything he asked. By the time they finished in the museum it was time for lunch. All the four of them ate together in the museum's cafeteria and then they accompany Brennan to her office to pick up some files. Then they called the day off.

----------

Once Brennan got into her apartment, she threw herself into the couch and called Angela.

"Ange, I had in of the best day of my life!" Said a happy Brennan over the phone.

"Sweetie, have you been working today?" Angela asked in a worried tone.

"I was going to, but I met Parker in the Diner, and he invited me to spend the morning with them." She said without breathing.

"And Booth?" Angela suddenly became anxious.

"He was such gentlemen with me. I guess that we all had a nice day. I had to carry Amelia for a while, and she doesn't cry with me anymore."

"Well sweetie, that is a good sign, because that child is very attached to Booth. She doesn't like strangers, especially ladies."

Both women talked for almost an hour, both of them happy with the advance in the repair of the relationship. When she finished the conversation, she was determined to regain Booth's trust, and to take back her place in his heart.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter #20 :

Another case was finished and she was on the dinner alone. Jackson was a nice partner. She had to admit that Booth really did a great job training him. He was really nice with them and treats them as part of his team instead of outsider like the previous agents before Booth have treated them. But she still misses him. Every time they resolved a case Booth have take her to the dinner to celebrate, but now, she does it but alone. Sitting on their usual table she order the same, and waited for him to arrived, knowing that it won't happen again. She had accustomed herself to lunch alone and today was not exception to that.

While she eat her fries, she smiled at the memory of last night. It was Cam birthday and they decide to have dinner at Wong Foo's. They were not expecting him since it was weekday and they now he was likely to stay home with the kids, but surprisingly he arrived.

"Booth!" Cam was the first to spot him entering the restaurant. "You came!"

"Happy birthday Cam" Booth gave her a hug. "I came for a short time."

Brennan was taken back with his appearance. She was sure that he had come from his home since he was not wearing his suit. Instead, he had a dark jean with a burgundy long leave turtle neck shirt, and a dark jacket.

"I heard you are having some trouble with you agents." Angela added in a serious tone.

"Yeah, you know I can control every thing, but I tried." Booth replied sitting on the end of the table. "But this is a birthday dinner or an interrogation session?" Brennan smiled as he teased them.

"Ok, let's get something for the boss!" Booth throws a napkin ball toward Jack as he heard the comment, as all of them began to laugh.

All of them started to talk and Brennan found her talking with him at one moment in the conversation. Both of them had forgotten who easy they can talk about nothing for hours. She smiled as Sid brings them their meals. As usual, he bring them what he knew they wants, and for Booth only a cup of coffee.

"Are you not going to eat Seeley?" Angela asked putting some rice on her mouth.

"I'm not that hungry. I already eat with Parker before coming here. He had school tomorrow so I have to perform my daddy duties before coming here." Booth took a sip form his coffee and smiled at Brennan glare.

While they were eaten, Booth received a call from home. Parker was singing Happy Birthday to Cam while all of the rest on the table sang with him making the occupant of the near tables to watch them with confusing looks, since there's no cake on the table. After the song end, Booth put his phone to his ear and began to talk like a baby, and Brennan knew he was "talking" to Amelia. She can't avoid admiring the content expression on his face while talking with his kids. Angela took her hand and smiled as she saw Brennan watching him. Her heart sank as he promised Parker to be home in 30 minutes, to read his story. Booth ended the call and stand up.

"It was really nice to meet you guys, but daddy's duties came first." Booth smiled at them.

"We now Seeley, and remember that we are going to go to the camp this weekend so you can bring the kids." Jack remembers to Booth and he noted.

"I do, beside, Parker remember me every morning." Booth laughs. "Are we still leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes. At 7 at my place or I can wrote down the address for you." Brennan smiled at Angela as she told something low on the ear.

Booth took a quick glare of both women and roll his eyes imagine what can Angela had told her. "I leave early tomorrow form work. I have a appointment in the afternoon, so I think we will make to your place in time."

The voice took her back to reality, and Brennan smiled as she saw Angela sitting in front of her smiling.

"You now, you can ask me to come with you. I now that I'm not him, but I can be a good company too." Brennan took Angela's hand on hers and smiled, telling her a lot without words.

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The day on the country house had been quite. Parker had left in the evening with Jack and Angela to horse ride, but Booth refuse to go with them. He was not fun of being over a horse, beside Amelia was a good cover for his horse fear. He was sitting under a tree on the garden reading a kid book to Amelia when he spotted her looking at him. He smiled broadly when he saw her blushed and lowered her head. He made a signal with the hand and she walk toward him.

"I don't want to interrupt you." Booth smiled looking at her standing timidly in front of them.

Booth returned the smiled and move a little to his side to made her space at his side over the sheets on the ground. "We can enjoy you company for a while you now."

She took sit at his side and looked as he put Mely (as Parker call Amelia) over the sheet.

"I thought you have gone with them." Booth said to her while he gave the baby a plush.

"I now that this activity is perfectly safe, but I really don't enjoy very much being over a horse. I prefer having my feets on the floor." Booth laughs.

"I now what that felt. I fall from a horse when I was a kid and I swore that I won't get in one." This time was Brennan who laughs.

"If you are scared of horses..." She stopped at the teasing glare in his eyes. "... I rephrase. I you DON'T like horses, why you let Parker go?" She asked seriously. Booth knew that she don't understand the basics on raising kids, so he decide to gave her a 101 lesson.

"O...kay. I can prohibit Parker or Amelia because I don't like them, but it won't make them any good. They need to check things for themselves and found what they like and what they don't. That is what a parent do, encourage his kids to experience new things and enjoy they life." Brenna saw with pride as Booth pick the baby and put her over his arms and began to sign a lullaby song.

"That is what you do with me right?" Booth glared at her with amusement. "I mean, you let me discover what I like and what I don't, so basically I can call you dad." Brennan said with a teasing look. He stopped singing to the baby and looked confused, then start laughing as he understand what she had told him.

"I guess you are right Dr. Brennan." Booth stop for a second and without looking at her "The things we do for love are the one that hurt us more, but also are the one that bring us the greatest satisfaction on life, don't forget that, never."

Brennan remained silent as Booth began to sing again to the baby on his arms. She caresses the little girl head, as his father mover her slowly. I minutes the baby was sound sleep and both adults were smiling as they spotted Parker running toward them all cover in mud but with the biggest smile Brennan had ever see on his face. In that instant, she could understand what he had said about letting others try things for themselves.


	21. Chapter 21

Ok, here is the next chapter, sorry for the delay. This was the chapter i post a few weeks ago by mistake, since that, originally I was thinking on having it in two parts, but since you all had been so nice with me, i decide to put in complete at once. This will be the begining of their mending relationship. No more angst, it will be more like little jump to conclusions but in a funny way, so enjoy....

Chapter #21:

Booth was lying in a hospital bed with an ice pack over his right knee. He thought how many things could be wrong in one day for him. He rested his left forearm over his eyes and while waiting for the doctor, he thought in his day.

-----

He had been receiving death treats since he assumed the post. But a week ago, the threatening notes had been arriving at his house. Cullen ordered more security for him, but all the additional measure wouldn't prevent what happened. At three in the morning two men entered into his house and tried to kill him. Booth was grateful enough that he had been awakening everyday in the middle of the night to check on the kids and was in the kitchen when he heard the men opening the front door. He was able to call for backups before the fight started in the house.

By the time the backups arrived, Booth had neutralized both men with the help of a baseball bat, but he was bleeding from some cuts and bruises all over his face and body. He also received a blown into his right knee but he had refused to go into the hospital.

After several convincing arguments he was allowed to stay in the house but now he had a full security group with him and the kids. When he arrived at the office, it was near 9 in the morning. Cullen was mad to see him there, but he assured him that he had to finish some loose details and then he would leave.

He was ordered to take the day off, but received a call that one of his agents blew off his cover by mistake and was in a hospital nearly, dead. The agent received a beating that nearly killed him, and the responsible went to custody.

Booth was finishing the calls he had been making to complete the process to buy a new house that Parker and him saw a month ago when an agent entered in his office. Booth's presence was required in the interrogation room, since the suspect wouldn't talk without Booth in the room. He let out a sigh and finishing the conversation, he walked to the interrogation room.

The interrogation process was long and boring. The suspect didn't say a single word since Booth entered into the room. Booth waited 30 minutes and gave up. His knee had started hurt again, and he just wanted to put some ice on it and rest. He stood up from the chair and started to walk towards the door when without notice, the suspect stood up and took the chair in his hand and hit Booth on the right knee. Booth fell to the floor holding to his knee as hard as he could. In a flash a group of agents entered the room and took the suspect to another room while other agents attended Booth.

Now, and hour later he was in the emergency room of the University Hospital waiting for the doctor to tell him what he already knew, he would have to undergo surgery on his knee. They had informed him that they will called his medical proxy (Bones) but he refuse it. He already tell Cullen that this call was to be made if he was in no position to made himself decisions, and he can. In his heart he knew that he don't want her to be scared or worried about him. He knew that she want to mend things between them, and he was thinking in how to do it too, but being in a hospital bed, wondering if he have to undergo surgery was no a good prospect of helping his current situation.

"Mr. Booth?" Asked a doctor in a low voice as he spot the director still on the bed.

"Yes?" Booth removed his forearm from his eyes to face the doctor.

"I have the results of your tests. You have a torn meniscus. There are several options for this condition, but I strongly suggest you go into surgery." Booth sat a little upright in the bed to have a better glance of the doctor sitting in front of him.

"Are there other options?" Booth was not quite sure of having a surgery.

"You can have PT and wait for your knee to get better, but it will take more time, and in your situation, I'm not so sure it will work for you." The doctor saw the worry lines in his face and smiled. "You will not have to stay in here. Usually the surgery lasts a few hours and you will be allowed to return home right after the surgery."

"How much time is the recuperation going to take?" The doctor placed the file in the bed and looked directly to Booth while he took his chart.

"You will be able to return to work in two weeks, but the complete process can take up to four months to be fully recuperated from the injury." The doctor remained in the room filling up the chart when Booth interrupted him.

"When can I have the surgery?" Booth was not quite sure about it, but he knew the injury could limit the activities he used to do with Parker and Amelia.

"You can have it tomorrow. I will admit you today so you can rest before the surgery and we will perform the surgery first time in the morning. After that, you can return home, if you have someone that can stay with you for the next two days at least."

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Booth was changed into a private room on the hospital. The doctor ordered some medication to reduce the inflammation on the knee and for the pain and he spent a major part of the afternoon sleeping. When he woke up, he found Angela starring at him with a little smile.

"You can't stay away from troubles, can't you?" Angela gave him a kiss on the check and smiled.

"You know me. I though you would be with the kids." Booth tried to sit, but Angela pushed him against the pillows.

"Rose and Jack are with the kids. I will stay with you tonight." Angela looked at his sleepy face expression and smile.

"How is Parker?" Booth asked while his hands moved towards his injured knee.

"He wants to come, but I promised him that you would be home tomorrow, so he agreed to let you rest for today." Booth laughed and shook his head sideways.

"Ange, do you mind to go into my house and pick something for me?" Booth asked.

"Not at all sweetie. But I will prepare another bag and take it to Jack's. The bureau won't allow you to return to you home with all that mess." Booth let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. Angela could felt the frustration inside him.

"What happened with the house you and Parker saw a month ago?" Angela asked with curiosity taking him back from his thoughts.

"I had been having trouble with the bank. They keep asking for papers and more papers and each time I think it will end, the guy founds another paper missing and asks for it. Maybe in the next two weeks I can finally close the deal."

Angela held in her chest a large package. Booth looked at her curious. Angela smiled and gave him the package.

"What is this Ange?" Booth looked strangely to the brown package on his lap.

"Bren came an hour ago, but you were sleeping." Booth smiled. Angela had been nervous about how he would react at the fact that she had to give him something that she wanted to give him personally. "She don't want to wake you up. Something about letting you rest for the surgery." Angela smiled. "Bottom line, she had to leave for a case and she didn't want to wake you up. So she asked me to give this to you."

Booth ran his hand over the brown cover and smiled. Angela kissed him on the cheek.

"I will leave you alone sweetie." Angela walked to the door hoping that whatever was inside the package would help him to find the happiness that he had lost.

Slowly he opened the package and saw a letter in front of a big electric blue book.

_What is this? _He asked himself as he opened the letter.

He thought that it was a book, but to his surprise he saw that he book really was a diary wrote in Brennan's handwrite. His smile grew wider.

_Booth:_

_ Please take it easy on you for the next weeks. You need rest so please promise that you won't try to get off the bed? I think that this might help you to enjoy yourself for a while. _

_I hope to see you when I come back. I'm really sorry for not being there now._

_Bones_

Booth smiled and decided to open the diary. In the first page he found a note of Brennan dated a few days after she arrived to Egypt.

_Booth:_

_ You were right. I took me 5 minutes to understand the major mistake that I have made leaving DC to follow my career. I left my heart there. Right now, I just want to board into the first plane and get back, but I can't. I made a decision and I have to live with the consequences._

_ You always wanted to read my hand script of the books, but I can give you something better than that. This will be something that only you will read. I will write this for you. So please enjoy._

_ I only wish, that you can find forgiveness in you heart for me._

_Love,_

_Bones_

Booth cleaned a single tear from his eyes and opened the book and started reading.

_ I arrived two days ago. It is very warm in here. This is not the first time I come here, but is seems that the last time was not this hot. I admit that the mummies are fascinating, and I'm really excited to be experiencing this. The improvised lab is nice, but it's not the Jeffersonian..._

Booth stopped reading for a few minutes as one nurse entered to adjust the pain medication on his IV and checked his pulse. He waited patiently for the nurse to finish her duties and leave the room before opening the book again.

_I must say that all of this is a new experience for me, but I miss my life, my friends, my family, and you. I don't think you will ever forgive me for what I have done, but I will try to earn it..._

Booth fought sleep but failed, he slept with the book on his chest and a smile in his lips. Maybe this is the evidence he need to face his inner demons of insecurity and fear regarding her.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter #22:

Brennan had been out of the city for nearly a month. The case they had been working took them from Florida to Canada, just to find the murderer in New York two days ago. During that time, she was able to control the constant necessity of calling him. She knew that he had returned to work just a week after the surgery, causing Cullen and Angela to fight with him, but he had agreed to go home if he felt tired or in pain. She also knew that he had bought a house near Arlington and that the squints, Cullen, his security and his family helped him to move two weeks previous. But she didn't know anything about the diary that she left with him.

She had been waiting anxiously for the boarding call of her flight back to DC.

Jackson had to stay an extra day, but she couldn't handle staying away from her friends... and especially from him. When the voice came out of the terminal intercom, she jumped towards the attendant smiling. She couldn't wait any longer to return to her normal life.

-o-o-o

She finally arrived at DC a few hours after and found that Paul was in the same flight from NY with her. He invited her to dinner and after deep thinking she decided to accept. She knew that they never would be a couple again, but she needed to take the control of her life once more. She decided to have dinner in the café that Booth had taken her to launch a few weeks back. When they entered, she started walking towards the same table that they had share but stopped abruptly. Her heart ran against her chest. There he was, talking to another woman. Her heart sank when she saw her touching his face.

_But why I'm so mad. He needed to make his own live. This is completely absurd. _

After watching that scene she decided to sit inside and with her back towards the garden.

Booth paid for the meal. She grabbed his crutches and helped him stand. When he walked into the café again he listened to her voice and smiled.

_She is here._ He thought.

Julia felt when he stopped moving and pointed at her.

"I want to introduce someone to you." Booth changed their direction and walked towards Brennan's table. She spotted him and gave him half of a smile.

"Good night, Dr. Brennan." Booth said in a formal tone.

"Same to you Booth." Brennan didn't know what to say to him. "Ehm... this is Paul. Paul this is Agent..."

"Sub Director of the FBI, Seeley Booth."

"I know you... well, not quite know you but I have seen your photo on TV. By the way, how are you? I heard you had suffered an accident..."

Booth wanted to laugh about the fear expression on Brennan's face as Paul continued to talk and talk. Booth decided to interrupt Paul's monolog when he asked if the beautiful lady with him was his wife.

"Hey, it's Paul, isn't it?" Booth interrupted as serious as he could, trying hard to hide the laughter.

"Yes" Paul replied happily.

"Nice to meet you. This is Julia Booth." Booth watched the pain and shocked expression in Brennan's face.

"She is my sister in law. They are here to help me for a while with the kids. And thanks for asking, I'm better." Booth added with a smile as he saw the relief return to Brennan's expression.

"Nice to meet you Julia" Said Brennan while giving Julia her hand.

"Bones isn't it?"

Brennan smiled... "That used to be my name a while ago."

Julia felt Booth trembling and she knew that he was too tired to remain standing for much longer. He had returned to work, but his family knew that he was pushing himself to the borderline.

"Do you mind staying here Seeley? Let me see if Jared is outside so he can help us."

"I can walk to..."

"Seeley, stop it ok?"

"Go."

Brennan saw the worried expression in Julia's face and the pain in Booth's.

"Are you alright?"

"Sort of. I'm supposed to be resting. I had a nasty fall yesterday in the house. But I needed to have a conversation with Julia."

"But are you ok?" She asked concerned. "Did you go to the hospital?"

"I'm in moderate pain right now, but I will be fine in a few days." He tried to sit in a more comfortable position but failed miserably. He closed his eyes and smiled. He was thankful that she didn't ask how he fell.

_He walked into his new living room and stepped over one of Parker's toy cars and felt to his side over a coffee table. In that moment he didn't laugh for the pain into his ribs was too much to handle, but when he found how he fell he started laughing, enjoying a new amount of pain into his bruised ribs and re injured knee._

Brennan's voice brought Booth back to the conversation.

"But you need to be resting. The conversation can't wait?" He gave her an intrigued look. "I'm sorry that is not of my business."

"Don't worry. Old habits die hard. I need to have this conversation with her. That's all." Booth smiled knowing that the conversation was about her.

Brennan smiled at him. "How are the kids?" She finally asked looking into his happy face.

"They are great. Parker is getting bigger and Amelia is turning to be a beautiful baby girl. Booth looked pleased.

Julia and Jared entered through the door and found Booth sat in the same table as Brennan.

"Sorry to interrupt." Jared said as he reached the table.

"Not at all." Brennan answered and watched with amusement at the similarities between both brothers.

"Dr. Brennan, this is my brother Jared. Jared this is Dr. Brennan, and this is Paul."

"Nice to meet you." They shook hands. "Well Seeley, it's better that we take you back. Mom will kill us if something happens to you, not mentioning the hard time she has been giving Dad for him to have agreed with us on this mini trip."

"It's alright; I'm not feeling too well right now." Booth admitted giving him a painful grin.

Brennan stood up and helped Jared with Booth. After the goodbyes, she watched with sadness how Booth walked slowly towards the door supporting on his brother.

_I wish I was the one that would take care of you right now._

Paul remained silent watching the longing in her. After her eyes returned to the table, Paul smiled.

"Stop smiling, Paul!" Her voice sounded harsher than she intended to.

"You love him?" He asked, already knowing the answer. He saw her facial expression turn from anger to disbelief and then to embarrassment.

"What?" She finally found her voice and asked.

"You love him. I saw it in your eyes when we first entered here. Your look was filled with sadness when you saw him with Julia. Then when he introduced her to us, your expression changed. You do love him." It was more a statement than a question. He smiled at her knowing that she had finally found her other half.


	23. Chapter 23

Thanks for your comments, and to Monisse, how is my beta reader and my second concience in the story ;);)

Sorry for the delay. I'm pretty bussy at my work this pasts weeks and it seems to continue this way for a few more. I will try to post more frequently. Sorry for the waiting.

Chapter #23:

After the accident in his home, Booth was sent home for the rest of the month. He was already able to run a little, but needed to use a knee brace to keep his knee stable all the time. Booth recovery was going well, thanks to his family that made sure that he followed the doctor's strict orders. His family left after they were completely sure that he was fine on his own. Angela and Jack convinced them that they would look after him and the kids with the help of the agents in his house. He was able to return to the office one week prior to the date that he was supposed, but he had been working from his home for several weeks now.

He arrived early that day, and surprised everyone, when they spotted his personal security in the building. Apparently no one expected him to return to work as soon as he did. When he got out for a meeting everyone smiled at him and greeted him. He had a meeting regarding a mission that was planned in the time he was in sick leave and Cullen wanted him to approve it.

"Come in, Booth." Said Cullen. He smiled as he saw Booth walking towards him.

"Good morning sir."

"It's nice to see you son. How are you?"

"Better, I still have to go on a few more PT's but I already started running."

"That's nice."

"Yeah."

He had a pleasant day at work. Since he had to leave early to go on his PT, he changes his clothes in the locker room of the bureau. He had forgotten a file in his office and returned back. All the secretaries and female agents looked towards him while he walked in the hallway. He was aware of the situation, but by now he had become a master ignoring that, off course, the fact that now he was wearing a long leave white cotton shirt, a pair of blue jeans and a baseball cap were not helping the situation. The knee brace was now visible below his jeans. The agents looked at him with pride as he walked to his office. He had spent all day walking and his knee was throbbing and now he was using his crutches to let his knee rest. He walked into his office grabbed the file and left. Then he heard a female voice that he wasn't willing to hear.

"I need to see him. Do you understand? I demand to see him now!"

May was going to answer but Booth interrupted.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Sir, this lady wants to see you."

"I take it from here, thanks May." Booth said smiling at his secretary.

"Tessa what do you want?" Asked Booth obviously mad.

"I wanted to see you. I heard that you have an accident."

"That was more than a month ago, and I believe that we don't have nothing to discuss."

"But..."

"Tessa, I beg you to leave the building immediately. If not, I will call security to escort you out."

"You can't do that."

"Oh yes I can, or do you prefer that I put charges against you for harassing a federal agent?"

"I don't..."

"You were yelling at May, and believe me or not, she is a federal agent, so, are you out or should I call security?"

Without answering she walked away embarrassed towards the elevator. Behind her, Booth and May laughed.

"Thanks sir, but you didn't have to..."

"May, off course I have to. Now, I have to go, but if you please call security and ask them to put her name in the black list, I don't want to see her in here from now on."

"It will be my pleasure."

Booth arrived at his house at 4:30 in the afternoon. He was exhausted from the PT and his knee hurt. Rose was already in the house with the kids, so he got into his room to rest a little before he had to take control over the kids alone. He took a quick shower and sat bed and continued with his reading.

_Today it's Parker's birthday. I wish I could be there with you to witness his smile in this day. _

_This book was supposed to be a recollection of my experiences here, instead but right now is a collection of letters in a book. I hope that someday you read them._

_I talked to Angela a few days ago. I asked for you, but she didn't tell me anything. I knew than that you had to be fine, because the bad news are the first ones to arrive, but I really want to talk to you, to listen in your voice that you are actually alright. I tried to call you a few times, but after dialing the number, I hang the phone... I'm a coward._

_Last night I wished you were here with me. I left the lab late in the night and somebody tried to attack me. If you ever read this I know that you will panic, but I'm fine, but the guy was not that lucky. The police said that he would stay at the hospital for a long time; you know that I know how to break some bones. I can't help but think how mad you would be with me, but don't worry, I plan to get home in one piece. _

Three months after the surgery, Booth had his first weekend for himself since he got the kids. Is not like he didn't want them, it was just that he had forgotten how was like to be on his own for a while. His mind went back to two days ago; when a simple phone call changed his plans for the weekend.

"Director Booth, you have a call in line two." May's voice came out from his phone as Booth reviewed a file.

"Thanks May." Answered Booth, smiling at the phone.

"Booth." He said.

"Seeley?" A man's voice in the other side of the line. Booth looked puzzled at the phone and picked it up.

"Yes?"

"I..."

"What can I do for you, sir?" He said in a calm and firm voice, as soon as he recognized the voice.

"I'm sorry for what happened in the funeral and the thing with the lawyers. I... We are very ashamed with the situation."

"So..." Said Booth mad. The situation regarding Amelia adoption had been finally settled two months ago, when the judge ruled towards Booth, naming him legal guardian of both kids, and gave him total control about the visits of their grandparents.

"We were wondering if we could see the kids. We know that we are asking for a lot, but we just want to see them."

Booth remained silent for a few minutes. He really wanted to tell them no, because of what happened in the graveyard and in the court, but he wanted to be sure that his kids knew their family, and he just couldn't deny his children time with their grandparents.

"Lets do something, I will talk with Parker tonight, and if he wants I will take the kids to you on Friday, and pick them up on Sunday. If that is alright with you."

"Sure." Said an extremely happy voice.

Booth took the kids on Friday afternoon to their grandparents' house.

Late in the morning he ran in the park near his house. He used to ran daily before the kids arrived, but with them in the house, he had to do it in the treadmill if he wanted to run morning, or wait until the afternoon when Rose was watching the kid. He stopped running like this since the surgery, but he wanted to try his limits.

It was almost 8 in the morning and he was happily crossing the sidewalk near a pond. The Saturday morning was fresh and calm. He felt sweat drops falling from his face. His knee was starting to protest from the excessive exercise and pressure after only 30 minutes, but he was not going quit. His Ipod was playing his favorite rock music as he crossed the park. He spotted the gardener cutting a tree at the other side of the pond and smiled, he used to talk with him almost every day before the kids.

He looked back and saw an agent almost fainting with the effort.

"Peter, you have to work out more." Booth said laughing and breathing heavily.

"I... thought... that... this... was... a... joke...sir." Said Peter almost without air.

"A joke Peter?" Asked Booth between laughter and breathing heavily.

"Yes... I ... thought... you ... were... joking... about... running...I... don't...know... how... you... do...it... sir, after... having knee... surgery... three months... ago,"

"Pete, I don't want to kill you by overexerting yourself... you can go ahead to the house."

"I can't leave your side, Sir." Peter said scared.

"I'll be fine. Go."

"But Sir..."

"It's an order agent. Now go, I'll be there in 30 minutes."

Booth waited until the agent disappeared in the side walk and continued with the running but slowed down to get his knee to rest. Only one memory was in his mind. Last night, he finally finished reading her diary. And the last entrance shocked all his being.

_ I've been drinking now, just a little too much,_

_ And I don't know how I can get in touch with you_

_ Now there's only one thing for me to do, is to keep on trying_

_ To get home to you..._

_I promise Seeley, I will get home to you... I promise._


	24. Chapter 24

OK! Sorry for the delay. I promise to try and post the remaining chapter during this wseekend, so i can end the torure to all of you and end my other story "Andy will die" during the next weeks. Thanks for all the comments and revies, i really love them. To Monisse, thanks a lot for being more than a beta reder in this story. LOL

Chapter #24:

Booth continued his way on the sidewalk when a voice called his name and made him stop.

"Booth!" He saw her sitting in the grass, eating grapes and a book in her hand. It was the first time both of them saw each other since the restaurant.

"Hey Dr. Brennan, how are you?" Booth said breathing heavily.

"I'm fine, thank you. I see that you woke up early today. How is your knee?" She asked shyly trying not to look as nervous as she really was.

"Yes, I used to run every day, and well, my knee is killing me right now, but it will get better." Booth answered and placed his hand over his knees and took a heavy breath looking at her.

"Where are the kids?" She looked behind him to search for the kids and immediately knew her mistake, Booth laughed silently and Brennan felt her cheeks became red.

"They are with their grandparents." He replied to her simply with a mischievous smile on his lips.

"With your parents?" The question came quickly out of her mouth and Booth knew that she was dying to know.

He looked at her and smiled widely.

_It's time for you to realize you jumped into conclusions Dr. Brennan._

"No, Rebecca's." An enormous relief filled his chest as he told her what she wanted to know from the beginning.

Brennan's jaw fell at the answer and she couldn't find her voice. Booth looked at her for some reaction, but when he realized that she was speechless, he decided to give her another punch.

"Oh, I see you didn't knew yet. Rebecca was their mother." Answered Booth with a half smile. He had decided to let her enter again in his life, but slowly.

Brennan remained in silence digesting the news. She had never thought that Amelia was Rebecca's. Booth shook his head and looked at his watch.

"I must go now, nice to see you." Booth turned and was about to leave when her voice stopped him.

"Do you want to have dinner with me today?" He turned to see her and smiled.

"I mean, if you don't have anything else to do. I guess that you already have plans, so forget it." She asked and answered herself in less than a minute and Booth smiled.

_She's nervous._

"Actually, I was going to accept. But if you have second thoughts that will be fine with me." A teasing glow appeared in his eyes and she smiled.

"No..." She replied quickly before he could change his mind. "I'm happy that you accept."

Booth was living and suddenly returned to her, she was smiling still and he caught her. When she saw him starring at her she blushed furiously.

"Dr. Brennan, do you want me to pick you up, or do you prefer to meet in the place?" He said simply and waited for her answer.

"I don't know, what do you want?" It was obvious that she wanted him to pick her up, but she was more comfortable if he offer himself to do it.

"I'll pick you up. At 7:30. If it's fine with you? Same place?" Brennan smiled at him and looked into his eyes.

"Sure, see you then."

"Bye."

Booth continued running and stopped to talk with the gardener. After a few minutes and loud laughs from both men, Booth continued his way until he disappeared behind some trees.

Brennan let a sigh leave her chest, smiled and reclined backwards on the grass. She couldn't believe what she had done. But she had to admit that what she did without thinking was an advance on her situation, comparing with all the thinking she had been doing.

"He was right... Sometimes it's better to follow the heart than the brain." She said to herself and smiled widely thinking in what Booth would say if he had heard her.


	25. Chapter 25

Sorry, i post the wrong chapter, so here is the correct one. Sorry if i confun you guys!!! :-(

Chapter #25:

Brennan waited anxiously for him. She knew that it was time, but she just couldn't wait any longer. She had been waiting, ready for him for almost a full hour. He was going to pick her up, and she did not know what to do, or how to act with him. A soft knock took her out of her wandering state. She stood up and walked towards the door. It was him. She took in a breath when she saw him. He had a black suit with a black shirt without a tie, and the three upper buttons open.

He almost felt backwards when she opened the door. Her hair was straight and was pulled back, her dress fell to her knees. The dress is an empire waist dress with a deep v-neck with bold stripes in the frame and abstract prints. The dress was black, gray and white.

After surviving both first impressions, they became aware that their clothes matched and laughed at the situation.

"This is for you." Said Booth as he gave her a red tulip. "I know that this is not your favorite, but I thought that something new would be good."

"Thanks, it's beautiful." She said as she looked delighted to the flower.

"Shall we go?" He asked, giving her his arm.

She agreed with him and took her purse, placed the tulip in a vase on the dinning room and after closing the door, she grabbed his arm and directed their steps into the elevator.

Booth opened the SUV door for her. She felt happy, but nervous. He let her select the place. She decided to go to the small Italian restaurant near the FBI. He already knew that this would be the time for both of them to talk, so that seemed to be a great place. The maitre showed them a small table that was located far enough from the live music on the restaurant. They both sat and after ordering their meals an uncomfortable silence came between them and Booth decided to break it.

"Dr. Brennan, I know that you want to know. I must admit that you amused me." After talking with Julia and reading her diary, he decided to let her enter in his life, but was not quite sure how deep he could allow her to enter. He still loved her, but he couldn't allow her to break him again like she did. He was quite sure of what he wanted and knew that she did not knew yet.

"Because..." She smiled shyly at him.

"You had been quite sweet during the past few weeks. I mean in the past, you would be over my head trying to get the answers you wanted." Brennan's smile became wider and she nodded silently.

"You were right, people do change." She replied simply and looked at her hands.

Booth knew she was nervous, and that she wanted to ask him questions. He let out a light sigh and decided to open himself a little to her.

"So, what do you want to know?" He said and she looked at him puzzled. "I promise I will answer all of your questions. But be kind with me." He added, still looking at her.

"I don't know what to ask." She said averting her eyes from him.

"Alright, let me help you." Booth let out a breath and moved in the chair.

"As you can see, many things have changed. Maybe the biggest change were the kids. After I had the promotion, I got Parker more often with me. Well, during that time, Rebecca married Drew, and she became pregnant with Amelia." Brennan looked amazed at Booth's declaration and he smiled. By now she knew that Amelia was Rebecca's, but still she had thought that Booth was her father.

"I was appointed as her godfather. I was very happy with that. I had imagined myself only with Parker, so having a little girl near me was very new." Brennan watched his expression turning into sadness suddenly and she knew that he was going to tell her what she wanted to know since she returned. Seeing his pain, she instinctively reached for his hand over the table and he smiled at her.

"They were going to the zoo one Saturday morning and a SUV collided with their car. Rebecca and Drew died in the scene, but Parker and Amelia survived. Amelia was fine, but Parker was in the hospital for 3 days. During that time, I learned that Rebecca and Drew appointed me in a will as the legal guardian of Amelia, if I wanted her. After reading a note that she left and speaking with her lawyer I decided to adopt her as my daughter. And so after a few ups and down, I got two little persons with me." Booth spoke with his eyes closed and only opened them when the story was finished.

Brennan remained speechless at the story. She did not know what to say.

"I'm sorry." Was the only thing she managed to say.

"What for?" He asked.

"For everything, for leaving, for all of this..." She started talking fast and Booth stopped her.

"This was not your fault." He said seriously before she could give him some of her anthropological speeches.

"I know, but I hurt you." Her voice was filled with emotion as she lowered her head.

"It's true." He said simply in a calm voice.

"You're mad at me. You must hate me." She tried for it to sound like a question but it turned out as statement.

"No Dr. Brennan, I don't hate you, and I am mad at me, not you." Brennan looked into his eyes and saw the pain that he held inside.

"But I..." Again she tried to explain herself, but Booth talked and she stopped.

"I should know from the beginning that you were going to leave. I was the one that was wrong. I should have never told you my feelings. Sometimes you love alone. And that is what happened here. I loved alone, but my love was not enough for both of us. I understand that now." He finally was able to take off the heavy weight he had on his chest. For the first time in a long time, he felt free.

"But..."

Again, Booth calm voice restrained her from talking.

"Dr. Brennan, I know the reasons that made you leave. And I understand it. Trust me. You were clear with me from the beginning; you didn't want to be involved with me. I was the one that always believed that between the two of us existed something else, but I was wrong. Like usual." Booth let out a low laugh. "Don't blame yourself for things that happened in the past. I had regretted many things in my life but loving you was not one of them. I just want you to be happy, even if it is without me."

Brennan couldn't believe what she was hearing; he was letting her go, as she had done with him. But his tone was sad, almost a pledge. He was quitting but she was not doing the same this time, she will fight.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter #26:

Booth decided to change the conversation and asked her to tell him about her trip. Brennan smiled and recounted almost every little detail of her trip; he was amazed on how he missed their conversations. For him, that evening was the best of his life. He tried to stay focus in not letting her know that his heart still beat for her, he had to be strong. He would not make the same mistake twice.

Booth was deep into the conversation when his phone rang.

"I have to take this, excuse me." Said Booth as he grabbed his phone and smiled.

"Hey... how are you?" Brennan felt sad as she saw how happy his voice sounded.

"Daddy!" Parker yelled enthusiastically.

"Hey bud, how is everything?" Booth smiled as she saw the change on her face.

"Fine, I was just calling to know if you are ok. Did you take your pills, daddy?" Booth shook his head and a bigger smile was drown in his face.

"I'm fine Park. And no, I will take them in a while."

"Are you alone? I don't want you to be sad. If you are alone, you can pick us out. Amelia is sleeping, but I can wait for you to pick us up."

He laughed at his son worried tone. "Don't worry about me Parker, I'm not alone. Actually, I think you will love this. Hold on." Booth gave her the phone and watched her lips turn into a smile.

"Parker!" Brennan didn't hold the happiness on her voice.

"Dr. Bones!" Parker's eyes widen at her voice.

"Hi Parker, how are you?"

"Happy now, that I know that daddy is not alone."

"We are having dinner."

"Ah..." Brennan smiled at Parker's sad voice. "I wished I could be there with you. I'm bored here, but I will go home tomorrow. Can I see you? Maybe you can come with daddy to pick us."

"Let's see ok? Now, I'll pass the phone to your dad."

"Can you make me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Daddy needs to take his pills; can you make sure he does that? He usually forgets to take them." Brennan's heart melted at the boy's request. Tears began to fill her eyes.

"Sure honey. I will make sure he does."

"Ok. Good night Dr. Bones, and thanks."

"For what?"

"For being with my daddy. I thought that he was sad again, but with you, he is my old daddy again. Thanks."

Brennan could feel the tears filling her eyes as she gave the cell phone back to Booth.

"Hey Buddy, I will pick you tomorrow at noon, be ready ok?" He saw the tears in her eyes.

"Daddy, can Dr. Bones come with you? I don't want you to be alone." Booth closed his eyes and sighed.

"Hey, I can't promise anything, but I won't be alone, remember? Peter, Max James and Jack." Booth wished that his son stopped trying to push them together.

"Yes, But I have Jack here and Peter and Max will be in another car and James will remain at home, so you will be alone." Parker was extremely intelligent for his own good sometimes.

"Ok, see you tomorrow." Booth replied and laughed at his son analysis.

Booth ended the phone call and looked into her eyes. "Sorry."

"For what?" She replied to him with a confused look.

"For something that he said that made you sad."

"He just thanked me."

"For?"

"For giving him his dad back."

That expression was like a punch in the stomach for him. Now he couldn't look into her eyes. Now she knew.

"Dr..." Booth was about to explain but she interrupted him raising her right hand.

"Please, let me... I want to apologize for everything I have said or done that hurt you. That was not my intention. I just don't know how to love. I don't think that I deserved that someone loved me, that was the problem. But every night, before I get into bed, I imagine us in the Diner... or remember the times we spent in the floor of my apartment eating take out. Then I realize that I miss you... not as my friend... as something else I don't know. You were right; it took me a year to realize what you meant to me. But I hopped that it wouldn't be too late. I want to try again."

Booth was not prepared for this. He wanted to have a nice and relax dinner with her, but he never intended to discuss the reason of his broken heart, or that she would be able to verbalize her worries to him.

"I'm sorry Dr. Brennan. I'm flattered at your words, and glad that you felt that way for the first time, but I can't handle another heart break. Right now, it's not me alone, I have others responsibilities, and they became more important to me than anything else."

Booth said the speech like he had been practicing it for a long time. But she was not going to let the opportunity pass by her hands. She was going to grab it.

Booth let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes. Brennan looked into his face and saw the pain that he felt inside, but also a little sparkle that gave her hope.

Looking at her he spotted the biggest smile that he had ever seen on her face. He smiled back.

"Alright..." He gave her his hand and they shook hands smiling. "I'm Seeley Booth, Sub Director of the FBI, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, I'm temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist. I have worked with the FBI before." They laughed.

"Booth, how many names does your post have?" She asked him as her laughter eased.

"A few... but that one was the short one." He admitted taking a sip of his coffee.

"Ok. Now, will you explain me all of that?"

"Sure. Due to a government reorganization, they decided to unite the Director of Field Work, the undercover mission and the Director of Crimes in one post, so, since I was already the Director of the Crime Division, they gave me the other one, I'm, according to Cullen, the youngest agent that was named director in either posts. And since I'm the one that covers Cullen when he's out of the office, he decided to name me Sub Director of the FBI a month ago. I think it is great, because I don't have to be explaining all the positions or anything like that."

"You must have a lot of work, right?" She realized how many responsibilities he had now.

"Yes, but I learned to give part of my work to others, if I didn't do that, I would never be able to get out of the office. I have two agents that are the supervisors of each department, and both of them respond directly to me. Of course, I have the last word. I'm also the one that manage the liaison between the Jeffersonian and the FBI. If something happens I'm the one that you should call." He replied proudly.

"I'm so happy for you Booth. You earned it."

After another hour of conversation, both of them decided to end the night. Both of them were tired, and he wanted to sleep a little before picking up the kids. After a quick trip, she found herself at her apartment door. He, like a gentleman, accompanied her towards her door. She opened the door and looked back at him.

"Thanks for everything. I had a nice night."

"Me too, Dr. Brennan."

"Let's just get something clear, if we are going to try, please, don't call me Dr. Brennan anymore. I felt like a stranger in your life."

"Fine, Temperance. Does it sound better?"

"Yes, but I was..." Booth knew immediately what she wanted.

"Do you mean... Bones?" Her eyes sparkled at the sound of his name for her. Immediately he knew. He lowered his head and let out a deep sigh.

"That was the name of my former partner." He said in a low sad voice. She knew that he was not ready yet to call her that again.

"It's alright, but at least call me Tempe, not Dr. Brennan." He nodded and she smiled.

"Thanks for the dinner." She gave him a little kiss on the cheek and he smiled.

Booth waited until she closed the door and walked to the elevator. He was wondering if he should have asked her to accompany him to pick up the kids. After all it was Parker's idea. While he waited for the elevator, the door of her apartment opened and he looked at her. She was barefoot and with a glass of water in her hand.

"Booth, wait a second." Booth walked again to her door.

"Parker asked me to remind you to take your pills" Brennan handled him the glass with water.

Booth shook his head and smiled at her. He took the pills form their case on his jacket and drank them at once.

"Thank you." He said handing the glass back to her. "Tempe, Parker asked me..."

"Yes."

"But I didn't even ask.

"He asked me, but I told him that I would go if it was alright with you."

"Then I'll pick you at 10 tomorrow. Sleep well."

He said and waited again for her to close the door and then left. When he got down, he walked directly, not to his SUV but to the car standing a few feet away of him. He opened the door and sat in the back. Two men sat in the front of the car smiling. Booth looked serious to both of them.

"I don't want either of you to tell anyone about this, ok?" The tone in what he said it, scared both agents and the rapidly nodded.

"Not a single word."

Booth left the car and walked directly to his SUV, smiling.

"At least he is smiling again." Said one of the agents inside the car.


	27. Chapter 27

Sorry for the delay. I will post several chapters in a row, so enjoy...

Chapter #27:

Booth drove his company car towards the office after dropping Parker at school. He had been smiling since yesterday when he took Brennan with him to pick up the kids. The best part of the trip was when she learned that Booth had sent the kids to their grandparents with an agent. Booth had been nervous about sending the children to their grandparents, so he sent security with them. Of course that didn't make the old couple very happy, but Booth couldn't care less. They would have to deal with that if they wanted to spend time with the kids.

He directed himself to his office, voiding all the odd looks towards him. Something was different with him, but no one could say what it was. As soon he reached his secretary she informed that Cullen was waiting for him. He left his briefcase and continued to the office next door. He knocked lightly and after hearing Cullen's voice granting the access he entered.

Cullen was at the phone, but made signal for him to sit and wait. Booth sat in the chair in front of Cullen and waited patiently for him to finish the conversation. During that time, Cullen noticed the smile in the face of the men in front of him.

"Sorry for that."

"No problem. May told me that you wanted to see me."

"Caroline called early this morning to remind you that you have to be in court by two in the afternoon."

"I'll be there.

"I need you to form a task force to..."

The meeting took near an hour. Cullen gave Booth new information regarding a drug dealer market in DC. He was supposed to infiltrate an agent to spot the operation. During the meeting, both men designed the best plan and Cullen left to Booth the decision of the agents in charge of the operation. After the meeting was off, Cullen smiled at Booth.

"One last thing Booth. You look happy. Did something happen this weekend?" Asked Cullen expectantly.

"Not really, just a connection with my past." Booth said smiling.

"Well, please continue with that "connection". It seems to work miracles on you." Cullen replied not hiding the smiled that formed on his lips.

Booth returned to his office and started working.

At the same time a happy Brennan entered the Jeffersonian. Angela punched Jack's ribs and pointed to her.

"Something happened there."

"What?" Jack said lost in words.

"Come on Hodge, look at her. She is smiling, and she never smiles that way. I must know what this is all about."

Without hesitation, she ran towards her friend's office. She found her reading her e-mails.

"How was your weekend?" Asked Angela with a smile in her lips.

"Great." Brennan responded without looking.

"Something happened in the weekend, right?"

"Yes." Angela was lost in words; the happy expression in her friend's face was unrecognizable. Angela moved towards the couch and waited for her to sit by her side.

"I had dinner with Booth on Saturday, and we had a long talk. We decided to try and be friends again. At least it is a beginning."

For the first time in her life, Angela was speechless. Of course she liked this, in fact, she secretly had been praying for this to happen, but knowing that it actually happened took her out of guard. Brennan smiled at her friend's facial expression.

"Ange... are you alright?"

"Sweetie, it's just that I'm so happy, that I can't believe it."

"It's ok, I guess. I was expecting this to happen."

Brennan told her about the dinner, maybe not the complete details of the conversation, but almost everything. Angela was thrilled when she was told that her friend accompanied Booth to pick up the kids.

_This is a good signal; at least he is letting her in fully._

_-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o-_

Booth was sitting in front of all the squints while they waited anxiously for him to end his phone call. After a few minutes Booth faced them with a serious expression and all of them fell into a deep silence. He tried hard not to laugh.

"Booth, is something wrong?" Asked Cam worried.

"Actually, yes." Booth said in a serious voice that Brennan had not heard before. She believed it was the tone he used to address his agents.

Booth looked at them and for his piece of mind; he decided to end their torture.

"Jackson will be out of field duty for 6 to 8 weeks, so I'll be covering for him until he comes back." Booth said and finally let out the laughter he was suppressing at the sight of the squint's relieved faces.

"You are crazy, Seeley." Angela said as she punched him on the arm.

"How can you do that to us man? You were killing us." Jack threw him a pencil and finally started laughing too.

After fifteen minutes Booth found himself alone with Brennan on the platform.

"Well, that means that we are stuck together for some time." She said happily to him.

"It appears to be so. Off course, if you have any objection on my decision, I can always select another agent to fulfill the requirements and send him here." Booth teased her and she knew it, but the simple thought of having another agent working with her made her sick.

"No! I won't change you for anyone or anything." She said and felt her cheeks become red.

She walked towards her office and he left the lab smiling. Maybe this was what they needed in the first place, retaking their relationship where they left it, in the field.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter #28:

Booth was happy today. Not about the fact that a person had been murdered and thrown into a garbage can over the river, instead, he knew that they would be working together and that made his day. He had called her over an hour ago to inform about the case. He would love to pick her up, but since the call was at 6:30 in the morning, he had to do some "Daddy duty" first and then get into the scene.

He was now, over two hours late, arriving at the crime scene. He rapidly found her and stood in silence until she finished the shipping details over the body and the samples to be taken. After ten minutes she finally saw him, resting against a tree at five feet from her.

"Enjoying the view, Booth?" She asked with a teasing tone and he smiled.

"Well, I don't find that quite lovely." Booth replied with the pen signaling the can with the remains.

"That, well, it was a man, 30 to 40 years old, apparently a head trauma was the COD, but since the body was cramped on the can we just have to wait until we can take the body off the can on the lab." Booth pulled up the yellow cord to lead her towards the parked cars.

"Anything more you have about the body trash can?" Booth asked and smiled.

"Not for now." Brennan watched him search for his cell phone and smiled. Apparently his phone was the enemy on their relationship.

"Booth." He said simply said while she gave him her bag.

"Ok, thanks for calling. Hope you feel better Rose. See you." Booth closed the phone and let out a deep sigh. "Great, just great."

Brennan could feel the desperation in his voice.

"May I help you?" She asked sincerely and he smiled back at her.

"No, no problem, just some complication." Booth was dialing again and she waited for him.

"Angela, hi! Is she ok? That's great. Look, Rose won't be able to get into the house today, so can you... no... I will be there in an hour or so... no... I don't want you to lose a job day for me... no, I mean it...ok... thanks."

"You see, all solved." Booth tried to smile but failed.

"Booth, what happened?" She asked seeing how tired he looked.

"Rose got sick, and I left Amelia with Angela until Rose arrives at my home, then Angela would drop the baby."

"But I though the baby was in the bureau day care." She said looking into his tired eyes.

"She is, but she is sick and I can't send her to the day care sick. So she stays with Rose in the house."

"Booth, are you alright?" She noticed the dark marks under his eyes and saw him smile tiredly.

"Since the baby got sick I haven't got enough sleep in two nights in a row, so I'm feeling like crp. Usually, I only sleep about 4 hours a night, but the average of sleep these nights where 2 hours." Booth gave her the bag and smiled at her.

Brennan smiled at him as they walked together to the lab van that was waiting for the remains and the samples.

"Do you want me to take you to the Lab?" He asked with a sweet tone in his voice and she felt herself melting, she wanted to be with him on the way back, but she knew that he would have to take care of the baby.

"Booth, you need to take care of Amelia. I will ride back on the van with the remains." She noticed the deception on his face and smiled.

"That's fine then, if you get something else about the case call me, I will be working at home." Booth turned and walked toward his SUV and left. Brennan let out a deep sigh and smiled to herself. When she could no longer spot the SUV on the area, she stepped in the van and waited for rest of the team to finish their work to get into the lab.

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Booth was resting in the floor of his living room. Today had not been a good day for him. After picking up Amelia from Angela's, he ended in the pediatrician with both kids, since the school called on his way home to pick up Parker. Both kids had stomach flu and for Booth that meant double trouble. He had work a way to take care of both sick kids at the same time, but both of them demanded his time and he was getting crazy. Booth looked at the clock on the wall, it was 8 in the night and finally both kids were sleeping and Booth was praying for them to sleep all night.

He got up from the floor with a pain in the back when his phone rang. He picked it up from the coffee table and smiled.

"Hi! What you got for me?" He answered while he picked up some covers that Parker used during the afternoon while laying on the couch.

"I think we identified the victim." She said happily. She had waited until she go all the information regarding the victim before calling him. She wanted a motive to see him.

"I have the file with me. Do you want to check it out or do you want me to drop it at your office?"

Booth smiled as he recognized the tone of pledge in her voice. "You can come to my house and we can work a little on it. Only if you want to, of course."

"Sure, that won't be problem. Are you hungry? I can stop for some Thai on the way to your home." She said quickly as her stomach made a loud sound. She had missed her lunch again.

"I'm not hungry." He said and heard a low sad mumble from her and smiled. "But I can eat a little. So, I will give you my address and see you soon."

Brennan listened carefully for directions and then hanged the phone. Booth was going to call Sid and let him know that she was going to pick some food for them. After ending the call, Booth called his security to inform that Brennan was coming to his home.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter #29:

Brennan found herself at the gates of a private residential section near Arlington. Booth had called the guard post and informed them that she would be coming to his home so they could let her enter without questioning. It also helped that the guard was an FBI undercover agent.

She drove for nearly 5 minutes following Booth's directions and found herself entering in the driveway of a two story Spanish villa style home. The house was dimmed light but she could see the warm colors of the exterior and the big backyard the house had and the well cared front yard. She smiled, wondering if Booth took care himself of the lawn.

She shook her head sideways, turned off the engine and walked to the main door with the take out food container, her purse, her computer and the file. She was about to press the bell, when Booth opened the door.

He smiled tiredly as he saw her with all the packages. "Let me help you." He grabbed the food and moved from the door to let her enter. "Welcome to my home."

She walked into the house and immediately felt warm.

_This fells like a home, a real home_. She thought for herself.

For a second, her mind flew back in time to her childhood with her parents. She shook immediately. She could see the large living room area and smiled when spotted some of the kid's toys in one of the corners. Booth smiled seeing her inspection to his house and walked to the kitchen. Brennan felt him walk beside her and followed him.

"I like your house, Booth. It is really nice and cozy." She said to him as he searched into the fridge for some drinks.

"Thanks. If you want I can give you a tour after we finish eating." He said and she nodded. "That settles it. Now, if you follow me." Booth gave her a glass with wine and a glass with water while Booth grabbed the food containers. He walked towards the terrace and opened the door for Brennan to walk out of the house. Both of them sat on the small yard table on the terrace and started eating. Brennan smiled as she spotted the baby monitor on Booth's short pockets.

While they ate, Brennan discussed some of the details regarding the body they found in the morning. Booth had concurred with them. The body was a man named Jhonas River, 35 years, and reported missing by his wife two months ago. The COD was a gun shoot wound into the right temple, what initially suggest suicide, but what Booth and Brennan were not so sure, was that the gun shoot was on the back of the head. As they were going into the file, Brennan jumped as she heard Amelia's cries coming from the monitor.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Booth said as he stood up from the chair and walked into the house. She noticed that his expression was calm but a little smile appeared as soon as he heard the baby cry.

Brennan tried to review the file once more while waiting for him, but found the task unbearable. She closed the file and decided to clean the table. She stood up and heard his voice coming from the monitor and sat again with a childish smile on her lips.

"Hey Princess! Are you feeling better?" Brennan smiled as she heard the baby giggle "I will take that as a yes."

She waited for a few minutes, listening to his soothing words and the low giggles and sounds made by Amelia. She was deep in thought when she stopped hearing sounds and knew he was coming down. She stood up again and resumed cleaning the table before he arrived and saw her listening to him over the monitor.

"You don't have to do that." Booth said nearly fifteen minutes later as he finally arrived into the kitchen with the baby in his arms and saw her cleaning the remains of the meal.

"It's not a problem Booth, and besides, you have your hands full with the kids for tonight." She said as she saw him searching for formula for Amelia.

"Thanks." He finally said.

"Is she ok?" She asked half worried half expecting. A small smiled appeared on his lips at the sight of her worried face..

"She is better than Parker right now. At least she does not have temperature. I think she will be fully fine in two more days. It was what the doctor told me. I gave her some formula earlier this afternoon and she didn't throw it up, so I will try again."

Booth shook the bottle while Amelia snuggled more into his chest and he laughed.

"I see she likes that spot." Booth looked down and saw Amelia hide in the middle of his chest.

"Yes. The first night after..." He let out a deep sigh and hugged Amelia tighter towards him. Brennan saw the distress on his face and mentally reprehended herself for bringing him memories he didn't want. "The first night I got her in the hospital with me, she slept on my chest, right in this same position. I think that she likes hearing my heartbeat."

Brennan followed Booth as he passed her and sat himself on one of the couched of the living room. He put Amelia over his left arm and started feeding her while he covered her little legs with a pink and white cotton sheet. Booth gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Ok, so where were we?" He asked bringing Brennan back to the present.

"Oh, yes!" Booth smiled as he noticed how nervous she seemed to be, but he was grateful enough to know that she was willing to regain a place on his life.

"What you think? This will be possible a homicide, but it also can be a suicide." She said half asking half wondering.

"I don't know. It would be really difficult to shoot yourself in the back of your head. I think that maybe we need to investigate a little more about him, while you guys discover further more." Booth took Amelia's bottle and put it on the coffee table in front of him and passed her over his right shoulder to start little circles on her back, never taking his eyes from Brennan.

"I..." Brennan was planning to leave, noticing how tired Booth looked when her phone went off.

She stood up and walked towards the terrace noticing that Amelia was closing her eyes and she didn't want to interrupt her sleep. After ending the call, she entered back in the leaving room and found Booth and Amelia sleeping together on the couch. She smiled, a sad smile. She started picking up her things, deciding to give him space when he woke up.

"Sorry for that. I must be really tired." Booth said apologetically while standing up from the couch taking care on not wake Amelia.

"It's alright, Booth, really. You're tired and we finished this already." She closed the computer bag and looked at him. He was waiting for her. "Booth, I think I should go."

"No, I told you that I would get you a home tour, so I will do it." She smiled and walked towards him.

Brennan was amazed on how beautiful, delicate and simple his house was decorated. He admitted that Angela had helped him along with his family, because when he moved he was injured from surgery. She was amazed when she entered into what seemed to be his office and became happily surprised when she discovered that it was a library as well.

Booth had a lot of books on the shelves surrounding the room, books that she had never seen or at least imagined him to have. Booth took a quick glance at her and saw how her eyes lit in fascination at the picture in front of her. Booth waited a few minutes and then decided to get into the second floor. She took a quick glance at the hallway full with family photos, mostly of the kids, but some were also of him and others of the squints too. She made a sad smile, realizing again how much of his life she had missed.

Booth entered into Amelia's room and while he put her on the crib, she took in her surroundings.

"It was Angela's idea." Booth said quietly as soon as he put Amelia on the crib and covered her.

"This is beautiful!" The nursery was the same as the one in the other house. Also, Angela was the one that drew in the walls. "Angela was the one that made the original nursery, so when we had to move, she did it again. When I decided to take Amelia with me, I didn't have any idea on how to take care of a baby girl. But I think I have made it right."

"You are an excellent father, Booth." She said in a low voice.

For an instance, Booth felt the urge to hold her on his arms and kiss her, but decided against it, he would not suffer again. He shook his head and smiled.

While in the hallway, Brennan entered into two more rooms, one of them was a small living room filled with the kid's toys and the other was completely empty.

"I need to see how Parker is doing, you may accompany me." She nodded and followed him to the next door. It was obviously Parker's because the door had a big decoration of sport balls hanging on it.

Booth opened the door slowly and saw his son sleeping entangled with the covers. She smiled as he saw Booth sitting on the edge of the bed and caress the boy's forehead. She stood at his side and saw Parker opening his eyes.

"Hey bub." Booth said while Parker looked at him.

"My head and tummy hurt daddy." Booth passed a hand over the boy's head and ruffled his hair.

"I'm sorry." Booth gave him a kiss on the forehead and Parker finally saw her.

"Dr. Bones!" Parker said tiredly but with a smile on his face.

Brennan tried to talk with Parker but the boy closed his eyes again.

"He seems tired, Booth" she said with sadness and worry.

"It's the medicine. The doctor told me that it is a 24 hours virus, he should be better tomorrow." Booth walked behind her and let Parker rest.

"Dad." Parker's voice stopped Booth on the door. "Can I sleep with you?"

Booth returned to his son and picked him up with the covers. "Sure bud, sure you can. Let's get you on the bed."

Booth had skipped his own room on the way out for the stairs. Brennan was intrigued when they passed the door. She didn't dare to enter in it and stood on the door frame trying to not look inside, but failing miserably as she spotted Booth laying Parker on the bed and covering him with the covers. He sat on his side and smoothed his back until the boy relinquished to sleep again and then he left to the hallway. Brennan smiled as she saw the diary she gave him over the side table.

She walked down the stairs and got her things on the way out.

"You can stay a little longer, you know?" Booth was obviously tired, and for what she had seen, he had pick up what the kids had, and considering that, he would be sick tomorrow.

"I think you need a little rest. You're tired." Booth let out a little laugh.

"Maybe you're right. I will be at the office around at 8 or 8:30 to investigate a little about the victim. If I get something new, I will call you." Booth said and smiled.

Ten minutes later, Booth climbed into his own bed with his son. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes, hugging his son a little tighter. Happily, he drifted into sleep, smiling at what had been the best evening he had spent in a long, long time.


	30. Chapter 30

Sorry all for not posting any chapter during the last month. I'm really really sorry for it. But in pay for the lack of chapters i will post today the two last chapter of this story. This will be the last one of the story, the next is the epiloge. Hope you like it.

Chapter #30:

Brennan sat in her office finishing the reports on the case she had worked with Booth. After hours analyzing evidence, they were right, it was an execution style murder and they discovered that the victim was part of an already closed case they had worked two years before.

She closed her eyes and thought in how much her life had changed in less than two weeks. Near two years before, she had thrown out the idea of having a family of her own. She usually enjoyed Booth's company, but right now, she loved his company and his kids. Since they began working together again things became better between them. Parker usually was a really help for her, since he made her promise to go to their house every night to have dinner with them.

Brennan's mind flew back to the last weekend and a vast smile appeared on her lips. She had called Booth at Saturday morning and Parker asked her to visit them and watch a movie. Brennan accepted immediately, she loved having time with his family and was becoming really attached to Amelia.

When she arrived at the house, she called in but no one answered, so she walked through the side gate. When she looked into the backyard, she laughed. Booth was cutting the grass and sneezing in the process.

_Only you, Seeley Booth, will cut the grass with an allergy._

She walked towards the terrace and found Amelia playing in her bouncing chair and Parker running towards her covered in grass.

"Hi Bones!" Parker yelled as he hugged her.

"Hi, Parker." She gave him a kiss in the top of his head and walked to take Amelia in her arms.

"Hi princess." The baby made funny noises while Brennan hugged her.

"Bones, can you look after her? I'm helping dad with the backyard." Brennan smiled.

"Off course Park. I will take good care of her." Parker nodded and ran back to his dad.

It was already noon when Booth finished with the backyard. Brennan had got him and Parker orange juice during the time they were cleaning the backyard. She also ordered pizza for lunch and after Booth took a shower he discovered that Parker was in the living room watching TV and he already had lunch.

"Thanks." Brennan jumped a little at the raspy sound of his voice.

"You welcome. Are you all right?" Booth smiled at the concerned look in her eyes and gave her a soft kiss on the cheeck.

"I will, I already took some medicine to it, so I just have to wait until it kicks in." He took a glass with water and sat heavily on the counter chair. He looked at her and smiled as she cleaned the dishes in the kitchen.

Booth ended sleeping almost all the afternoon because of the medicine, but Brennan was happy that day. For the first time since she returned she could fell that their relationship was changing. He almost kissed her that night after they ended talking about their relationship, but Amelia decided to break the spell and cry, demanding attention, and both of them ended on the floor playing with the kids.

Brennan was in her office, remembering, when she received a call. She looked at the caller Id info, but didn't recognize the number.

"Brennan." She answered the phone seriously.

"Dr. Bones?" Parker asked in a low voice.

"Hey Parker, how are you?" She smiled at the sound of his voice.

"I'm fine. Look, I need a favor from you."

"Ok, anything." Parker smiled.

"Daddy's birthday is tomorrow and I want to make something especial to him."

"And what will that be?" Brennan looked at her calendar and suddenly realized that she had forgotten his birthday. She took her bag and while talking with Parker she walked out the lab.

"I prayed for you became my new mom, or at least my daddy's girlfriend." Brennan was taken back with Parker's sudden sincerity and smiled. She wanted the same thing.

"Well honey, that is something we can't decide for your dad, but maybe we can do something together for him."

Parker agreed and continued talking with her, preparing their surprise to Booth.

Later that night, Booth was sitting in his living room alone. She had excused herself informing Booth she got a date with some people of the publisher. It was a lie, because Parker need to "talk" with his dad, and Brennan knew he could help her with his father.

"Dad, can I ask you something?" Booth opened his arms to let Parker climb into his lap.

"Sure bub." Booth hugged him and looked into his son's eyes.

"Why is Bones not your girlfriend?" Parker hoped he could make his father be get together with Brennan again. He knew his father missed her, and having her around the last weeks proved him that she was the women his father loved and made him happy.

Booth let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. He had seen this coming for a few days, but was unable to form an adequate response. He knew he was fooling himself with the friend situation. Having her near him and the kids proved him how much she had changed, and he saw that the kids were happy with her.

"Dad, I'm waiting." Parker smiled knowing that his father was trying to find an answer and was failing.

"Parker, I really want to answer you but I really don't know how." Booth smiled at his son and Parker hugged him.

"Dad, I want you to be happy. So please, ask Dr. Bones if she can be my new mom. I know you like her, and I really love her." Booth smiled widely at his son's occurrences, but he knew that his son was right, they were happier when she was around them.

Parker rested his head on his father's chest and slept in Amelia's usual spot and Booth smiled. It had been a long time since Parker slept in his arms and Booth missed his son warm body against him. Booth stood in the couch thinking a little more in what his son had told him. It was not a secret that Parker loved Brennan but what took him by surprise was the fact that he asked him to make her his mom. Booth had been worried if the kids would accept her in their live, well, mostly Parker, and he got his answer.

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Booth was on his office filling reports and having a conference call. He had missed that Brennan had not called him in all morning. He looked into his wall clock. 

_It's time for lunch_.

He was grabbed his jacket and suddenly, May told him he had visitors. Booth agreed to receive them and was surprised when he spotted Brennan with Amelia in her arms and Parker. Booth jaw felt to the floor in surprise.

"Happy Birthday daddy." Yelled Parker running into his father's arms.

"How... when?" Booth couldn't formulate a full sentence and Brennan laughed.

"We thought that we could surprise you today." Brennan said waiting for him by the door frame with Amelia. "Can we invite you for lunch?"

"I would love that." Booth put his jacket on and picked Parker from the floor into his arms. He walked towards the door and gave Brennan a sweet kiss on the cheek, but it was longer than usual and Parker giggled mumbling a 'yes' under his breath.

"Thank you." Booth said to Brennan and kissed Amelia on the forehead. The baby looked up to him but stayed in Brennan's arms.

"You're welcome." Booth held her hand and kissed it sweetly. For the first time, he had forgotten where he was, and to be honest, he did not care at all. Finally he wanted everybody to see that they were together, he wouldn't he hiding his feelings for that woman any longer.

"I love you." He said low into her ear and a tear escaped from her eye.

"Me too." She replied as they walked out hand in hand of the office under the amused looks of the agents and secretaries.

"May, I will leave for the rest of the day." He said simply and walked with her, hand in hand, towards the elevator.


	31. Chapter 31

Hi!! This is the last chapter of the story. THis one was written by Monisse.

Thanks you all for your company during the story, and to Monisse for being such a great help!!

Brainy: I got a few new stories in the oven ;-) Hope i can start posting theme here in the next week or so, after my editor in chief (Monisse) gave me her opinion on them...

Epilogue

The night cast shadows in the lonely streets while small snowflakes fell softly to the ground. Inside the car, a comfortable warmth embraced her figure and made her company in the solitary way back home. There was a soft tune on the radio and coming out of the speakers, a sad song she didn't' recognized but listened nonetheless.

_I never meant to let you go, _

_Why did I leave? Maybe we'll never know..._

Time passed in her wrist clock as she speeded through the city, in a never ending road to a place where she could rest after an exhausting day of working. The car entered a quiet road surrounded by large houses, fancy and beautiful.

She pushed the car into a small driveway in front of a large house. Turning off the ignition she grabbed her purse and the bags of takeout food. Readjusting her coat and scarf she prepared herself to step into the cold air of a winter's night.

Brennan crossed the small front yard, which was slowly being covered in a soft blanket of snow. She paused and looked around, taking in her surroundings. Soon enough, kids would be running around in the snow, snowmen's would be built and dressed up leaving the children shivering in the cold aid but with large smiles in their faces; snowballs would be flying around in this quiet neighborhood.

It was a season she never liked, at least not after her parents left. Since then, she had never enjoyed the true spirit of the season.

She resumed her walk towards the door of the house and reached into her pocket for the keys. A warm air enveloped her being when she finally opened the door. Her cheeks, cold from the outside's air, rapidly warmed up and became flushed with a healthy shade of pink. Her blue eyes closed in enjoyment and a small smile appeared in her lips. She let herself reveal in the faint smell of burning wood in the fireplace and the soft orange glow coming from inside the house.

Her eyes opened again, walked inside and finally discarded the bags of food and her own in the small table by the door.

It was quiet all around; the lights were off except from the glow coming from the fire place in the living room. She walked towards it; the sound of her heels in the hardwood floor was the only sound surrounding her.

She took off her coat and placed it carefully in the hanger, and with lack of ceremony due to a tired body, she let her weight fall in the sofa with a relief sigh escaping her lips.

Her eyes scanned the room around, she knew her house quite well, but once in a while she found herself amazed by the surroundings. There were books, of course, of all shapes and forms all around the large living room piled tightly in shelves. A large TV was placed in the corner. Statues of divine gods were mingled with sport trophies. Ancient artifacts among war commendations. She smiled to herself and breathed in the air of comfort.

Her eyes fell on a large book placed in the coffee table, right in front of her. She had never seen that book before, and curiosity took the best of her. She reached forward and brought it to sit in her legs.

She let her hand brush over the smooth surface of it, a fine black leather cover. Her fingers traced the letters in the front, in a neat calligraphy in gold ink two words stood proud in the center.

"_My family_"

The words pierced in her heart and brought shadows of tears to her eyes. They were not tears of sadness; those were long past gone; they were of joy, of something she had missed for so long and at last found. She was finally part of something, of someone.

She opened the book and her heart skipped a bit at the sight of the front page. It was a photo album. Her eyes froze over the only picture in the center of the page and her mind wandered.

She had always thought that nothing was missing in her life and what she had obtained with him, her partner, was too much to bear, there was too much at stake. When she weighted the pro and contra, instead of letting her heart decide, like he had taught her, her brain took the best of her. It had been a wrong decision, which she still regretted, even today.

She had lost him, forever, she had thought. Against a wrong judgment she had hurt him, let him devastated with a broken heart to mend. It had been a road of ups and downs, hardships and mended souls, and in the end, he found in his heart forgiveness and gave her a place in his life again. She was finally where she belonged.

Running steps and laughter in the stairs brought her back from the reverie. The small paces came first. Sure paces of a little boy followed by the small ones of a little girl. They ran to her side and without even thinking her arms stretched to accommodate the children who smiled brightly at her. They let themselves fall into her arms and while the curly haired boy nestled his face in her neck and the little girl, which she had became to love as her own, rested her small head in her chest.

Then there was another set of steps, these ones she knew far too well. They were paused, confident and soothing.

He walked to her side and watched the embrace between her and the little ones. For as much as he witnessed it in the nights when she came late from work, it never seized to amaze him how perfectly they matched together. A warm sensation embraced his heart, a feeling he knew that was also pooling in her heart.

Their eyes met above the kids and immediately got caught in the devotion pouring from one another.

Words were not needed to describe the feelings arising once again between them. She smiled brightly at him and saw him returning a content smile back.

He crossed the small space between them and sat beside her on the sofa. The kids were still clinging lovingly to her and now smiling brightly at their father.

There was no need to see the rest of the book, for the pictures it held were a perfect mirror of the scene unfolding around her. There were bright smiles towards her, hugs and emotions for her to share with them, finally a family to come home.

She silently promised she would never run away, not from them, not from the family that loved and cherished her.

He leaned forward and regarded her with a lingering kiss on the lips. It did not last longer, but like every time their lips met, in that silent touch, it made their souls roar. It was like coming home after a long time.

His lips traveled up against her skin as his strong arms wrapped themselves around her, also reaching for the little ones that stared back at them with amused faces.

"We're a family." He whispered in her ear and she silently nodded.


End file.
